2024 COLUMBIA SPRING SECTIONALS
- March 14-18, 2024
- Mizzou Aquatics Center, Columbia, MO
- MM “Region VIII Speedo Spring Sectionals”
- LCM (50 meters)
- Day 1 Recap
After earning her first Olympic Trials cut on night 1 in the 200 backstroke, 15 year old Sydney Schoeck was just off earning her second Trials cut in the 400 IM. Schoeck swam to a final time of a 4:50.93, just off of the cut of a 4:49.89. Schoeck was the only swimmer under the 5-minute mark as Hannah Renaud was 2nd in a 5:00.84. Schoeck’s previous best time was a 4:57.84 from Summer 2022.
24 year old Molly Gowans swam to a win in the women’s 200 free swimming a 2:02.85. Gowans has a best time of a 2:00.66 from 2017 Canadian Trials but her swim today was faster than she was at Pro Swim-Knoxville in January as she swam a 2:03.53 then. Teenager Avery True was 2nd in a 2:04.52, a best time by almost two seconds.
The final women’s winner of the night was Missouri’s Emily Roden who swam to a 1:01.62 in the 100 fly. Roden’s best time was a 1:01.64 which she swam before arriving at Missouri as that was from July 2022. Ella Hansen finished just behind Roden as she swam a 1:01.69, faster than her old best of a 1:02.42.
Although the men’s side also did not feature a Trials cut, the races were close. Missouri’s Matthew Mortenson won the 400 IM in a 4:30.59, about four seconds off his best. 16 year old Whitaker Steward was 2nd in a 4:31.62, a best time by over two seconds.
Steward swam two events on the night as he also was 2nd in the 200 free swimming a 1:54.46. He finished behind Leo Kurucz who won in a 1:53.81.
16 year old John Thumann won the 50 free yesterday and picked up a win in the 100 fly tonight touching in a 54.26. Jack Ailshire was 2nd in a 54.80.
