Ultra Swim Swimmer of the Month is a recurring SwimSwam feature shedding light on a U.S.-based swimmer who has proven themselves over the past month. As with any item of recognition, Swimmer of the Month is a subjective exercise meant to highlight one athlete whose work holds noteworthy context – perhaps a swimmer who was visibly outperforming other swimmers over the month, or one whose accomplishments slipped through the cracks among other high-profile swims. If your favorite athlete wasn’t selected, feel free to respectfully recognize them in our comment section.
Leah Shackley was one of three American swimmers to win two individual events at the 2024 Junior Pan Pacific Championships in Canberra, and after adding two more gold medals on relays, she earns Ultra Swimmer of the Month honors for August.
Shackley, 18, kicked the competition off by winning gold in the girls’ 100 backstroke in a time of 59.46, breaking Katharine Berkoff‘s Championship Record of 59.59 set in 2018.
Later that same session, Shackley led off the U.S. mixed 4×100 medley relay in 59.26, with Campbell McKean, Rowan Cox and Rylee Erisman following to give the Americans a dominant gold medal victory in 3:45.21, another meet record.
On Day 3, Shackley finished off the backstroke sweep by winning the girls’ 200 back in a personal best of 2:08.19, lowering Isabelle Stadden‘s meet record of 2:08.81 from 2018 while edging out teammate Teagan O’Dell (2:08.31).
That came after Shackley scratched out of the 100 fly final despite advancing 2nd into the ‘A’ final (59.09).
On the final night of racing, Shackley claimed her fourth gold medal of the competition in the girls’ medley relay, leading off in 59.05, breaking her meet record from the individual 100 back, before Elle Scott, Audrey Derivaux and Erisman closed things out to give the U.S. the win in 3:58.88, a fourth Championship Record for Shackley.
Shackley’s lead-off time from the medley relay also marked a new personal best in the 100 back, improving on her 59.25 clocking from the U.S. Olympic Trials in June.
Set to join the NC State Wolfpack to begin her college career this fall, Shackley now ranks 7th all-time in the U.S. girls’ 17-18 age group in the 100 back and 10th in the 200 back.
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Women’s Packstroke training group in Raleigh set to be pretty epic this fall with five women under 1:00 LCM—Berkoff 57.8, White 58.4, Noble 58.5, Shackley 59.0, and Paelez 59.9!