2022 Speedo Sectional Championship – Christiansburg
- March 24-27, 2022
- Christiansburg Aquatic Center, Christiansburg, VA
- SCY (25 yards)
- Psych Sheet
- Results on MeetMobile “2022EZ Southern Region Speedo Champ Series”
The first night of the Christiansburg Speedo Sectionals meet kicked off tonight, featuring the women’s 1000 free and men’s 1650 free. In the women’s 1000, Lancaster Aquatic Club 13-year-old Ashley Mellinger won by a healthy 4-second margin. Mellinger’s time of 10:16.70 marked a slim 0.80 second improvement from her previous best, which was set in December of 2021. She swam a very consistent race tonight, splitting between 1:02.12 and 1:02.72 on the 3rd through 9th 100s of the race. She did take the race out fast, however, which resulted in her 500 splits coming in at 5:04.57 and 5:12.17.
Racing next to each other in heat 1, an exciting race developed between Occoquan Swimming 17-year-old Benjamin Huffman and Lancaster Aquatic Club 16-year-old Ian Metzgar in the men’s 1650. Metzgar got out to the early lead, flipping 2.5 seconds ahead of Huffman at the 550 mark. Huffman ate into the lead through the middle of the race, then turned on the jets coming home, catching and passing Metzgar. In the end, Huffman finished in 15:49.29, with Metzgar right behind in 15:51.04.
Huffman split the race exceptionally well. He swam a 5:17.46 on the first 550, then 5:17.93 on the 2nd 550, coming home with a 5:13.90 on the final 550.