Weekly Wonder of Age Group Swimming – 5/29/2019

Presenting our Weekly Wonders from May 24-26, 2019.

Arabella Sims, 13, Sandpipers of Nevada (SAND-CA): 400m free, 4:26.30 – At the end of the 2017 long course season, then-12-year-old Arabella Sims had a best time of 4:58.29 in the 400 free. In 2018, she quickly chipped away at that time, going 4:47.07 in April, then getting down to 4:27.14 by August. She kicked up 2019 with another drop, going 4:26.30 to win the event by 18 seconds at the 2019 DSS Memorial Day meet.

Samuel Telanoff, 16, Team Santa Monica (TSM-CA): 200m breast, 2:23.56 – A then-14-year-old Samuel Telanoff closed the 2017 long course season with a best time of 2:25.48 in the 200 breast. In the 2018 season, in multiple attempts, he did not break 2:25.73. In his third race of the 2019 season, at 2019 Speedo Grand Challenge last weekend, Telanoff went 2:23.56. Telanoff also went best times in the 200 and 400 IMs.

Julia Miles, 14, DART Swimming (DART-SN): 100m free, 58.97 – Over the entirety of the 2018 long course season, then-13-year-old Julia Miles dropped a total of about two seconds off her 2017 best time in the 100 free, owning a 1:00.31. Last weekend, in her first long course attempt as a 14-year-old, she immediately took off 1.34 seconds, going 58.97 at the 2019 Mel Zajac Jr. International meet in Canada. She also went a best time in the 200 free and 50 fly.

Zach Power, 12, Lakeridge Swim Club (LAKE-PC): 200m free, 2:11.88 – As a 10-year-old, Zach Power swam the first 200 free of his life in May 2017, going 2:49.59. His second attempt was exactly a year later – to the day – and he dropped to 2:33.61. In his third 200 free, just a month later, he was 2:28.90. Last weekend, he obliterated that time, going 2:11.88 (adjusted for altitude) at the 2019 CARS Intermountain Classic. He also hit best times in his 50, 100, and 1500 free, as well as his 100 back, 200 back, and all fly events.

Sam Baron, 16, Bellevue Club Swim Team (BC-PN): 200m IM, 2:19.00 – Then-15-year-old Sam Baron went 2:20.33 in the 200 IM to close the 2017 long course season. Through 2018, she was never under 2:22.71. In her first swim at the 2019 Mel Zajac Jr. International meet in Canada last weekend, she first went 2:21.84, then in finals broke 2:20 for the first time, going 2:19.00. Baron also went best times in the 50 free, 50 fly, and 400 IM.

Nick Simons, 14, Lake Oswego Swim Club (LOSC-OR): 50m back, 27.57 – Nick Simons broke :30 in the 50 back for the first time in July 2017, going 29.74. In his first swim of 2018, on a relay, he went 28.11, and swam it two other times, both in the 28-highs. In his first swim of 2019, he went 27.68 at the 2019 Mel Zajac Jr. International Meet, and then later the same day, 27.57. He also went a lifetime best in the 200 back, and 50 and 100 fly.