Presenting our Weekly Wonders from May 31-June 2, 2019:
Dolan Grisbaum, 15, Greater Philadelphia Aquatic Club (GPAC-MA): 1500m free, 16:23.98 – Then 13-year-old Dolan Grisbaum closed out the 2017 season with a best time of 17:30.84 in the 1500m free. In three swims in 2018, he dropped no fewer than 12 seconds in each of his swims – and as many as 27 – to end the season with a 16:36.42. In his first attempt of the 2019 long course season, Grisbaum dropped nearly 13 more seconds, going 16:23.98.
Robert Shively, 14, Nation’s Capital Swim Club (NCAP-PV): 200m fly, 2:12.20 – Fourteen-year-old Robert Shively clocked a 2:18.87 200 fly early in the 2018 long course season, but did not improve later in the summer. In his first attempt of 2019 back in early May, however, he improved by three seconds, going 2:15.92; later that day, he dropped another .85 seconds. In his first swim at the 2019 NCAP LC Invitational last weekend, he continued to shave off time, going 2:13.44. In finals, he went 2:20.20.
Alexis Mesina, 11, Pleasanton Seahawks (PLS-PC): 100m breast, 1:17.91 – A then-nine-year-old Alexis Mesina finished the 2017 long course season with a best time of 1:25.72 in the 100 breast. She immediately dropped that to 1:22.93 in her first swim of 2018, then lowered it to 1:18.39 by the end of the summer. In her first swim of the 2019 season, Mesina picked up where she left off, going 1:17.91. A the same meet, the 2019 PLS LCM Senior Open, she also went best times in the 50 free (30.39) and 400 free (4:58.15).
Josephine Fuller, 16, Nova of Virginia (NOVA-VA): 200m back, 2:17.91 – Then-15-year-old Josephine Fuller ended the 2018 long course season with a 2.5-second drop in the 200 breast, going 2:23.34. Very early in the 2019 long course season, in April, she went 2:19.71 at the 2019 Pro Swim Series stop in Richmond. She gained a couple seconds in swims after that, but then last weekend at the 2019 NCAP LC Invitational last weekend, dropped all the way to 2:17.95, hitting a 2019 Summer Juniors cut.
Carly Larson, 12, Green Bay YMCA (GBY-WI): 100m free, 1:02.39 – A year after she went 1:06.87 to close the 2017 long course season, a then 11-year-old Carly Larson took a few swims to hit her stride in 2018, eventually going 1:04.39 last August. In 2019, however, she had no problem getting off to a quick start. In her first 100 breast of the summer, Larson dropped exactly two seconds, going 1:02.39.
Gage Boushee, 13, South Metro Storm (STRM-MN): 200m IM, 2:25.32 – A then-11-year-old Gage Boushee broke three minutes in the long course 200 IM for the first time in June 2017. By the end of that season, he was 2:58.49. Through 2018, he slashed off time in every swim, ending the season with a 2:27.93. Even after dropping all that time, Boushee had more in him to kick off start the 2019 season, going 2:25.32. He also went a best time in his 50 free, 200 free and 800 free.
