12-Year-Old Julia Bak Climbs NAG Rankings With Big Drop in 100 Back (56.42)

2024 MR WEST Chris Dewey IMX Memorial Meet

• Jan. 20-21, 2024
• Metropolitan Swimming Club
• SCY (25 yards)
• PDF results

QNS Aquatic Club 12-year-old Julia Bak continued her ascent up the U.S. girls’ national age group (NAG) rankings at last weekend’s Chris Dewey Memorial Meet in New York.

The aptly-named Bak dropped more than a second in the 100-yard backstroke with a winning time of 56.42, jumping up to 19th in the 11-12 girls NAG rankings. Her previous best was a 57.66 from last month’s NCAP Invitational.

Bak also led off her 200 medley relay with a 50 back time of 26.20, just off her personal-best 26.17 from last month that ranks 15th in the NAG rankings.

She added an impressive victory in the 50 free (24.15) before going even faster leading off her 200 free relay in 24.07. Her lifetime best in the 50 free (23.66) from last month ranks 14th in the NAG rankings.

In the 100 butterfly, Bak blazed a time of 56.98 that was just a few tenths off her personal-best 56.61 from last March, which ranks 41st in the NAG rankings. She showed off her versatility with additional 1st-place finishes in the 500 free (5:22.82), 100 breast (1:10.68), and 200 IM (2:12.15) — all of which represented lifetime bests. She dropped more than five seconds in the 500 free, two seconds in the 100 breast, and less than a tenth of a second in the 200 IM.

Bak ages out of her 11-12 age group in a couple months. In long-course meters (LCM), she is four seconds away from one of the oldest NAG records on the books with her 1:07.24 100 back from last August. Beth Botsford set the standard at 1:03.08 back in 1994.

In other highlights from the Chris Dewey Memorial Meet, Westchester Aquatic Club 16-year-old Luci Gutierrez put on a show with individual wins across a wide variety of events: the 500 free (4:59.80), 200 back (2:00.50), 200 IM (2:05.16), 400 IM (4:26.43), and 50 free (23.78). Her performances in the 200 IM and 50 free marked lifetime bests, improving by .16 seconds and .85 seconds, respectively. Currently a high school junior, Gutierrez is committed to Indiana for 2025.

Westchester 14-year-olds Serene Jourdy and Sofia Torres picked up three individual victories apiece. Jourdy took titles in the 50 free (25.35), 200 back (2:05.29) and 200 fly (2:08.27) while Torres triumphed in the 500 free (5:10.72), 200 breast (2:27.04), and 200 IM (2:11.13).