In our Weekly Wonders of Age Group Swimming series, we celebrate the swimmers of every age and experience level by profiling several young swimmers and their recent results.
Max Hatcher, 14, North Texas Nadadores (NTN-NT): Competing at the 13 & Over IMX Challenge in Texas, 14-year-old Hatcher hit career-bests in five short course yards events. The biggest swim was probably the 200 fly, where Hatcher went from 1:55.36 to 1:54.15. That currently ranks him #11 in the nation this season for under-18 boys, and he’s the youngest swimmer inside the top 20. Hatcher also went 4:41.00 in the 500 free, 1:55.29 in the 200 back, 1:57.07 in the 200 IM and 4:08.78 in the 400 IM.
Claire Weinstein, 13, Westchester Aquatic Club (WEST-MR): 13-year-old Weinstein had a banner meet in New York, hitting the #5 swim of any under-18 girl in the U.S. this season in the 200-yard free. Weinstein was 1:49.61, blowing out her previous career-best time of 1:52.15. Weinstein is one of just five girls under 18 in the U.S. to break 1:50 so far this season. She also cut her 200 back by more than two seconds, from 2:06.02 to 2:03.75.
Mary Cate Pruitt, 17, Irish Aquatics (IA-IN): High school senior Pruitt hit four personal bests at the IN IA Closed Invite in Indiana. Pruitt’s biggest swims came in the butterfly, where she went 2:00.04 and 56.53 in the 200- and 100-yard butterfly. Both were lifetime-bests, with the 100 fly cutting 2.2 seconds and the 200 fly 1.6. Pruitt was just hundredths away from her first-ever sub-two-minute swim in the 200 fly. She also cut a second and a half to go 24.31 in the 50 free and three seconds to go 57.65 in the 100 back.
John Paul Brostowitz, 12, Schroeder YMCA Swim Team (SSTY-WI): 12-year-old Brostowitz has been on a tear this summer, and he followed that season up with a career-best 56.63 in the 100-yard backstroke at the Schroeder YMCA’s WEST vs SSTY meet in Wisconsin. That’s the nation’s top time among 11-12 boys this season and within half a second of cracking the top 100 all-time in USA Swimming 11-12 history. At the same meet, Brostowitz also hit personal bests in the 500 free (5:14.33) and 100 breast (1:08.82).
Cannot believe some of the junior swims from Australia’s Queensland Short Course meet did not make the cut of this list. Was even a world junior record in amongst that meet. Was plenty of other head turning junior swims there also.
No disrespect to the juniors that did make this list, they too are amazing swims.
“one of just 5 gurls”
MR West always creates great talent. Congrats Claire and Coach Carle.