UGA Commit Katie Belle Sikes Drops 21.90 50 Free At ECA Southeastern Classic

2023 ECA Southeastern Classic

• November 9-12, 2023
• Greenville, N.C.
• Mingnes Natatorium
• SCY (25 yards)
• Results on Meet Mobile: “2023 ECA Southeastern Classic”

University of Georgia commit Katie Belle Sikes highlighted a standout showing for East Carolina Aquatics (ECA) at home during the ECA Southeastern Classic over the weekend, including entering rarefied air with a sub-22 swim in the 50 free.

Sikes, 18, posted a time of 21.90 in the prelims of the 50 free to move into a tie for 15th all-time in the girls’ 17-18 age group, matching Cora Dupre‘s time to become just the 24th swimmer in age group history to get into the 21s.

All-Time Performers, Girls’ 17-18 50 Freestyle (SCY)

1. Simone Manuel, 21.32 – 2015
2. Torri Huske, 21.39 – 2021
3. Gretchen Walsh, 21.41 – 2020
4. Abbey Weitzeil, 21.49 – 2014
5. Kate Douglass, 21.53 – 2019
6. Claire Curzan, 21.55 – 2022
7. Grace Ariola / Julia Dennis, 21.73 – 2018 / 2023
8. –
9. Maddie Murphy, 21.76 – 2017
10. Ky-lee Perry, 21.80 – 2017
11. Janet Hu, 21.82 – 2013
12. Hailey Tierney, 21.84 – 2022
13. Lucy Thomas / Faith Johnson, 21.89 – 2022 / 2013
14. –
15. Cora Dupre / Katie Belle Sikes, 21.90 – 2020 / 2023

Sikes, who entered the meet with a personal best of 22.17, went on to win the final in 22.00.

Her 50 free performance marked one of nine pool records set by ECA swimmers at the meet, as Sikes lowered the old mark of 22.50 set by 2012 Olympic gold medalist Lauren Perdue.

Sikes’ teammate Emily Armen, a 17-year-old Tennessee commit, also went under the pool record in a lifetime best of 22.26, moving her into a tie with several swimmers for 71st all-time in the 17-18 age group.

Armen also set a new personal best of 1:47.72 in the 200 free, downing Perdue’s previous Pool Record of 1:47.94. Sikes took 2nd in a PB of 1:49.43.

Sikes also set Mingnes Natatorium Pool Records in the 100 free (48.73), 100 back (54.22) and 100 fly (53.52), with the 100 free performance putting her .01 outside of the top 100 in the 17-18 age group. Her previous best time stood at 49.43.

Armen also went under the 100 free Pool Record in 49.08, with her holding the old mark at 49.26.

In the 100 back, Sikes took out the previous record of 54.25 set by Sophie Lindner, while in the 100 fly she erased the 55.04 mark held by Katie Nolan.

Armen split 22.42 and Sikes was 22.56 on the ECA 200 free relay that set a new Pool Record in 1:32.42, while in the 200 medley relay, Sikes led off with a 25.16 50 back and Armen anchored in 22.49 as they set another Pool Record (1:42.15).

On the boys’ side, ECA’s Lucca Battaglini starred with a pair of Pool Records in the 50 free (19.81) and 100 free (44.05), with his lifetime bests currently standing at 19.47 and 43.34, respectively.

The 18-year-old Cal commit lowered his own Pool Record of 19.94 in the 50 free, while he took down Matt Houser‘s mark of 44.56 in the 100 free.

Battaglini also won the 200 free (1:39.51) and 100 back (49.86).

Another standout at the meet was ECA’s Owen Lin, who produced a number of highly-ranked swims for 15-year-olds as he picked up multiple victories.

Lin said best times in every event he raced, highlighted by the 50 free where his time of 20.51 ranks him #1 among 15-year-old boys this season. He also now ranks 4th in the 100 free (45.61), 6th in the 200 free (1:39.69) and 200 IM (1:52.60), and 7th in both the 100 fly (49.91) and 200 fly (1:52.04).

Another notable performance came from O’Neal Pelagics’ Grant Larsen, 14, who logged a time of 21.16 to move into a tie for 73rd all-time in the boys’ 13-14 age group. Larsen entered the meet with a best time of 21.86, set just three months ago.