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.
Cullen Cashman, 13, South Shore YMCA Strypers (NE): Cashman soared to some sizzling breaststroke swims at the YMCA National Long Course Championships, including taking over the top spot this season for 13-year-old boys in the 200 breast (2:24.58). In that swim, Cashman finished 13th overall despite racing against swimmers up to five years older than him. He also moved to #2 this season for 13-year-olds in the 50 breast (30.88) and 100 breast (1:06.48), and added a best time of 4:54.94 in the 400 IM.
Marina Didenko, 12, Terrapins Swim Team (PC): Didenko had a phenomenal performance at the Far Western Championships at the end of July, winning every event she raced. The Terrapins Swim Team product dropped a time of 1:13.56 in the final of the girls’ 100 breast (after going 1:13.62 in the prelims), ranking her 12th all-time in the girls’ 11-12 age group and 1st this season. She also moved to 2nd this season and 43rd all-time in the 200 breast (2:41.92), and also moves to 2nd this season and 68th all-time in the 200 IM (2:25.60). The 12-year-old added the 100 fly (1:05.91) as another event in which she’s the 2nd-fastest in the age group in 2023-24.
Jett Hatchard, 11, Olympus Aquatics (UT): Hatchard swept all six events he raced at the UTAGS Long Course Championships, setting new lifetime bests in five of them. Hatchard ranks 2nd this season among 11-year-old boys in the 50 free (27.82), 4th in the 100 free (59.97), 6th in the 200 free (2:14.18), 25th in the 400 free (4:50.90) and 20th in the 200 IM (2:36.16).
Harrison Hull, 9, Flashes Aquatics (IN): Hull dropped more than 10 seconds in the 100 fly at the Indiana Swimfest in mid-July, winning his first state title in 1:15.34. The performance ranks Hull 2nd this season among nine-year-old boys, and he added notable swims in the 50 fly (35.46) and 200 IM (2:59.51).
Daniel Bunge, 11, NOVA of Virginia Aquatics, Inc (VA): Bunge was on fire at the Virginia Age Group Championships, winning five events in the boys’ 11-12 age group despite only being 11. Bunge set five best times, highlighted by his swims in the 50 free (27.67) and 400 free (4:39.74), which both rank 2nd this season for 11-year-old boys. His 2:11.60 200 free sits 3rd, and his 1:07.68 100 fly is 6th. In the 100 free, Bunge won the event in 1:00.09, but was 59.25 one month prior, ranking him #1 in the country for 11-year-olds.
Lane Francis, 14, NOVA of Virginia Aquatics, Inc (VA): Also competing at the VA Age Group Champs, Francis was lights out in the 100 back, breaking the 1:04 barrier for the first time in 1:03.57. That performance ranks her 10th this season in the girls’ 13-14 age group and 82nd all-time. The 14-year-old also set new bests in the 50 free (26.67), 200 free (2:07.46) and 50 back (30.28), ranking her 17th, 36th and 11th this season, respectively.
