2019 Speedo Champions Series- Gainesville
- July 11-14, 2019
- O’Connell Center Pool, University of Florida
- 50m (LCM)
- Meet Site
- Meet Info
- Psych Sheets
The 2019 Summer Speedo Champions Series kicks off with three different meets going on this weekend. The Gainesville sectional meet will be held at the O’Connell Center at the University of Florida. Featured among the swimmers at this meet are an all-star Florida high school state champions crew along with many Florida Gators.
Highlighting the pysch sheets is national champion True Sweetser, who is scheduled to swim the 400 free, 1500 free, and 400 IM. Sweetser was the 2017 Pac-12 champ in the 1650 free, as well as claiming the 2017 national title in the 1500 free months after his 2016 SC Worlds performance. The Stanford Cardinal is currently ranked 13th in the country for the 1500 free with a 15:34.86 while ranking 8th in the 800 free.
Future Virginia swimmer Emma Weyant will be swimming the 200 free, 400 free, 1500 free, 200 back, 200 IM, and 400 IM this weekend. Weyant comes in as the 2018 Junior Pan Pacs champion in the 400 IM, along with multiple YMCA national titles and 4A HS state titles. For the 17-18 age group, Weyant ranks #32 in the 400 free and #30 in the 400 IM all-time.
Joining Weyant in the all-star high school state champions group are ASU commit Julian Hill, Florida commits Talia Bates and Chloe Grimme, Kentucky commit Caitlin Brooks, Texas commit Sterling Crane, #12 class of 2021 recruit Ella Bathurst, and junior national teamer Arik Katz.
Among the Gators crew scheduled to swim are All-American Sherridon Dressel, NCAA finalists Vanessa Pearl and Kieran Smith, 2012 Pan Am gold medalist Marco Guarente, SEC finalist Emma Ball, 2017 WUGs relay gold medalist Grant Sanders, and 2018 SEC championship team member Drew Clark.
Florida alum and Italian American dual citizen Andrea D’Arrigo is scheduled to swim the 100/200 free. During his time at Florida from 2013-2015, D’Arrigo was a 2-time SEC Champion as well as medalling at the European Championships. Olympic semi-finalist and World finalist Corey Main of New Zealand will also compete with brother Bayley Main.
Be on the look out for 13-14 backstroke NAG holder Joshua Zuchowski, scheduled for the 50/100/200 back, 200/400 IM, and the 200 breast. Now 15, Zuchowski has one more year to improve before going to Olympic Trials in the 200 back. Zuchowski’s lifetime best of 2:00.97 in the 200 back currently ranks #16 in the 15-16 age group all-time.
The action starts Thursday at 5 pm ET with the timed finals of the women’s 1500 free, men’s 800 free, and the 200 men’s/women’s/mixed free and medley relays.
I believe Ella Bathurst is the #12 recruit not #21 in the class of 2021.
When I was a young man, I had the pleasure of meeting a man who I thought had a very interesting name. To go along with his interesting name, it just so happened that this man was a towering 6’ 9”, 420kg hunk of testosterone. The man I am referring to is of course, True Sweetser, known affectionately as “The Stanford Silverback” and many other much more graphic names.
On the day I met True, I was traveling with my son, George. He was the first one to spot the goliath of a man, and immediately sprinted off towards him to ask for an autograph. I followed closely behind and apologized to True profusely once I caught up to my… Read more »
I witnessed the event from the outset and I can attest the story is True
what an amazing true, sweet story!
Is True actually training in FL this summer? For his sake, I hope so.
How many Katz are there?
Arik, Taylor, Austin, and Alex are all siblings. It is estimated that there are approximately 25,000 Americans with the last name “Katz,” meaning it’s not that uncommon. Somewhere on par with “Woodruff” or “Fritz” or “Broussard” or “Dickinson” or “Worley,” so you may run into some at other meets that are unrelated.
But there is only one True Sweetser! And he is the GOAT. Except for when he loses. Which tends to happen from time to time
Weird flex.