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.
Jake MacPhail, 15, Blazing Barracudas (LE): MacPhail was on career-best form at the Central Zone 14&U Championships earlier this month in Des Moines, setting five best times and securing victory in the 1500 freestyle. In the 1500, MacPhail dropped 33 seconds from his best time, going from 17:05.86 to 16:32.33 to rank 9th in the boys’ 13-14 age group last season. He also moved to 12th in the age group for the season with a PB of 8:38.20 in the 800 free, and added bests in the 200 free (2:02.69), 400 free (4:14.13) and 400 IM (4:49.27). MacPhail has since turned 15 but produced those times while he was still 14.
Kinley Baber, 14, Kansas City Blazers (MV): Also racing at the Central Zone 14&U Championships, Baber won three events for the Missouri Valley Zone Team, including a noteworthy drop in the 100 breast. Baber dropped her PB down from 1:15.24 to 1:13.92, cracking the top 30 in the girls’ 13-14 age group last season (29th). She also set a best of 34.23 in the 50 breast, ranking 20th in the age group for the season, and added best times in the 100 free (59.92) and 50 fly (28.92).
Ellie Sungy, 9, Front Range Barracudas (CO): Sungy posted five personal best times at the Western Zone Agr Group Championships in Boise, Idaho, representing the Colorado Swimming Zone Team. At just nine years of age, Sungy won the 50 back (35.63) and 100 back (1:15.94) in the girls’ 10 & under age group, and added a 3rd-place finish in the 200 IM (2:49.26). Sungy ranked 3rd for nine-year-old girls in both the 100 and 200 back for the 2023-24 season, and her best time of 2:48.70 in the 200 IM ranked 2nd. She also ranked 2nd in the 50 back, having led off the Colorado Swimming medley relay in a PB of 35.42.
Eli Henley, 12, Greenwood Swimming (NE): Henley was the high point winner for 11-12 boys at the Eastern Zone Age Group Championships, winning seven of his eight individual events (and finishing as the runner-up in the other). Highlighting those efforts were his performances in the 200 breast (2:42.10), 50 fly (28.38) and 100 fly (1:03.66), ranking 6th, 9th and 7th, respectively, in the boys’ 11-12 age group last season. In July, Henley went 2:18.32 in the 200 IM and 1:12.45 in the 100 breast at the New England LCM Age Group Championships, ranking him 2nd and 4th, respectively, in the age group for the season. The 200 IM swim also put him 18th in the age group all-time, while his swim in the 100 breast was good for 64th.
Kennedy Masten, 12, Machine Aquatics (PV): Masten showed off her backstroke prowess at the Eastern Zone AG Championships, dropping a time of 30.74 in the 50 back to win the event by more than two seconds. The time ranked her 1st for 11-12 girls in the U.S. during the 2023-24 season and 30th all-time. Representing the Potomac Valley Zone Team, Masten also won the 100 back in a best time of 1:07.28, ranking her 3rd for 11-12 girls for the season and cracking the top 100 all-time with a tie for 93rd.
