Weekly Wonders of Age Group Swimming: 9/21/2024

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.

Jeremy Morgan, 12, Florida Elite Swimming (FL): Morgan kicked off the short course season with five best times at the Coach Kelley Allen Memorial Meet in Clearwater, including a 29.21 clocking in the 50 breaststroke. That swim puts him within a tenth of cracking the top 100 all-time in the boys’ 11-12 age group (29.12 is tied for 98th). Morgan also set PBs in the 50 free (24.44), 100 breast (1:04.55), 50 fly (27.53) and 200 IM (2:10.64). He ranks 1st so far this season in the age group in the 50 and 100 breast, the 200 IM, and the 50 free (24.44).

Lauren Lonsdale, 12, Sacramento Aquatics Club (SN): Competing at the “Back to Swim, Slides and Slices” meet, Lonsdale put up a pair of lifetime bests to kick off the 2024-25 campaign. Lonsdale clocked 24.65 in the 50 free, putting her just one-tenth shy of cracking the top 100 all-time in the girls’ 11-12 age group, and she also put up a new PB of 1:00.33 in the 100 fly.

Juan-Sebastian Bonilla, 14, Aulea Swim Club (HI): Bonilla set four personal bests in the season-opening Oahu A+ SCY Meet in Hawaii, leading the nation in the boys’ 13-14 age group in two events. Bonilla clocked 48.59 in the 100 free, knocking off his previous best of 49.20, and also went 54.01 in the 100 fly to take down his previous mark fo 54.70. Both his previous PBs were set at the Hawaii State Championships this past February. Bonilla added additional bests in the 50 free (22.82) and 100 breast (1:04.97).

Sarah Carrico, 16, Excel Aquatics (SE): Carrico set a personal best in the 1000 free at the XCEL SwimIntel Fall Fest Open, clocking 10:15.22 after dropping more than 27 seconds two months ago in 10:18.74. Those performances put Carrico under the Futures Cut for 2025. She also set bests in the 200 breast and 400 IM.

Gavin Willyerd, 16, Mesa Aquatics Club (AZ): Willyerd went four-for-four in best times at the Herculean Invite in Mesa (AZ), highlighted by his effort in the 500 free. Willyerd lowered his lifetime best of 4:35.73 in 4:34.30, putting him under the 2025 Futures cut. He also set bests in the 50 free (22.08), 100 free (47.60) and 50 back (25.58).

Vivienne Sterling, 14, Swim Neptune (AZ): Also racing at the Herculean Invite, Sterling set personal bests in six events and took over the top time in the girls’ 13-14 age group this season in four. Sterling set bests in the 200 free (1:55.03), 200 back (2:10.24) and 200 fly (2:12.86) to earn the #1 ranking, and she also sits 1st in the 100 free (52.86) after falling just shy of her 52.69 PB. She added PBs in the 50 free (24.47), 500 free (5:11.56) and 100 fly (1:00.11).