In our Weekly Wonders of Age Group Swimming series, we celebrate swimmers of every age and experience level with age group profiles of some recent results.
Shelby Hutchinson, 14, South Jersey Aquatic Club (MA): Hutchinson set four personal bests at the JAC Fall Festival in mid-November, highlighted by her performance in the 100 back. The 14-year-old took eight-tenths of a second off her PB to clock 53.92, ranking 41st all-time in the girls’ 13-14 age group and 3rd this season. She also swam bests of 54.70 in the 100 fly and 2:00.26 in the 200 back, ranking 6th and 8th this season in the age group, respectively, and added a fourth PB in the 50 free (24.13).
Ethan Han, 13, Whitewaters Swimming (NJ): Han had back-to-back impressive showings in November, hitting five lifetime bests at the JAC Fall Festival with a standout swim in the 400 IM one week later at the PAA Thanksgiving Classic. Racing at the Fall Festival, Han fired off a time of 1:44.95 in the 200 free, ranking him #1 this season for 13-year-old boys. He also posted best times of 21.90 in the 50 free, 48.17 in the 100 free and 59.28 in the 100 breast, all ranking 2nd this season for 13-year-old boys, and his 200 IM clocking of 1:58.34 sits 6th. One week later, Han clocked 4:07.56 in the 400 IM, ranking him 2nd this season for 13-year-olds. He had set a best time of 4:16.68 in the prelims, and came into the meet with a PB of 4:23.43.
Joey Eaddy, 13, Revolution Aquatic Club (NE): Eaddy was impressive in the distance events at the SAC Turkey Splash two weeks ago in Worcester, Mass., setting nation-leading times for 13-year-old boys in both the 500 and 1650 free. Eaddy dropped more than 42 seconds in the mile, clocking 15:35.76 to not only rank #1 for 13-year-old boys this season, but rank 2nd this season and 35th all-time in the 13-14 age group. In the 500 free, Eaddy posted a time of 4:40.64 from a time trial (he went 4:41.49 in the meet), ranking him 11th this season for 13-14s and 1st for 13-year-olds. He added best times in the 200 free (1:45.26), 100 breast (1:07.01), 200 breast (2:22.65) and 50 fly (25.80).
Jude Banks, 17, Blazing Barracudas (LE): Banks produced a pair of blistering breaststroke swims at the LESD Mark Braun meet at the Spire Insititute in Geneva, Ohio, two of four best times he set last weekend. In the 100 breast, Banks, entering the day with a best time of 56.55, set a best time of 55.46 in the prelims and then dropped all the way down to 53.96 in the final, ranking him 1st this season for 17-year-old boys and 10th in the 17-18 age group. His PB of 2:01.26 in the 200 breast ranks 14th this season for 17-year-olds, and he also put up bests in the 50 free (22.11) and 200 Im (1:53.91).
Alex Kirsling, 11, Nitro Swimming (ST): Kirsling set best times across the board at the TXLA 11 & Over November Unclassified meet, claiming five victories and two runner-up finishes in the boys’ 11-12 age group. Kirsling’s times of 58.66 in the 100 back, 2:10.47 in the 200 IM and 4:39.58 in the 400 IM all rank 2nd this season for 11-year-old boys, with the 100 back and 200 IM marking significant best times (the 400 IM was also a PB by one second). He also swam to times of 53.27 in the 100 free to rank 5th, 1:09.72 in the 100 breast to rank 7th, and 2:34.64 in the 200 breast and 2:18.18 in the 200 fly to rank 8th this season for 11-year-olds.
Collin Holgerson, 16, SwimAtlanta (GA): Representing McCallie School at the 31st Annual McCallie Invitational in Chattanooga, Holgerson blasted his way to a time of 48.28 in the 100 back, winning the final after only sneaking into it having clocked 52.98 in the prelims to qualify in 8th. The swim improved Holgerson’s previous best of 48.73, set in February 2024, and ranks 7th in the 15-16 age group this season (it also misses cracking the top 100 by .01). In the 100 fly, he clocked 48.81, narrowly missing his PB of 48.74 from last season to rank 15th in the age group this season.
