Urlando Leads Huge Group of US Juniors to 2019 Mel Zajac Jr. International Meet

2019 MEL ZAJAC JR. INTERNATIONAL MEET

• May 24-26, 2019
• Vancouver, Canada (University of British Columbia)
• Meet website
• Psych sheet
• Estimated timeline

Though live results and psych/heat sheets are not yet active on the meet website, Meet Mobile has this meet on its platform with what looks to be a full list of entered teams and swimmers.

USA Swimming typically sends a contingent of top juniors to this meet, and that contingent includes seven boys and sixteen girls. Luca Urlando is attached to Davis Arden Racing Team at this meet, though he’s part of the junior scene as someone 18 years of age and under. Specifically attached to the ‘Team USA-Jr’ team are a number of top swimmers, including Charlotte Hook, Olivia Bray, Kathryn Ackerman, Abby Arens, Caitlin Brooks, Kaitlyn Dobler, Coleen Gillilan, Torri Huske, Isabel Gormley, Anna Keating, and Justina Kozan on the girls’ side and River Wright, Josh Matheny, Matt Fallon, and Jason Louser on the boys’ side.

Those USA swimmers won’t be racing in a vacuum, though, and this is a Canadian meet. As expected, there will be a large group of Canadians in attendance here, too. As far as their juniors go, Jade Hannah, Faith Knelson, Emma O’Croinin, Cole Pratt, and Katrina Bellio are all entered in the meet. A good amount of Canada’s senior scene will be present, too, including Mehdi Ayoubi, Markus Thormeyer, Jeremy Bagshaw, Richard Funk, Rachel Nicol, Kelsey Wog, Mackenzie Padington, Erika Seltenreich-Hodgson, and Emily Overholt.

Additionally, there is a plethora of young talent on both the Canadian and American sides attending this meet. What could have made for a fun match-up would’ve been the addition of Josh Liendo, the Canadian teenager who was faster than Urlando (the U.S. 15-16 NAG record-holder in the 100 fly) was at age 16 in that event. That first match-up may have to wait (but not for too long– Liendo is on Canada’s roster for the 2019 World Jr Champs, which Urlando will likely qualify for if he attempts to qualify).