2017 US Junior Nationals: Day 4 Finals Live Recap

2017 SPEEDO JUNIOR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

• August 8 – 12, 2017
• East Meadow, NY (Long Island)
• Meet Central
• Meet info
• Psych sheet
• Prelims Timeline
• Live results
• Day 4 finals heat sheet

GIRLS 200 FREESTYLE – FINALS

• WJR: 1:55.16 8/7/2014 Katie Ledecky, USA
• Meet: 1:58.26 8/11/2011 Lia Neal, Asphalt Green
• 13-14 NAG: 1:58.53 – Cynthia ‘Sippy’ Woodhead
• 15-16 NAG: 1:55.06 – Missy Franklin
• 17-18 NAG: 1:54.43 – Katie Ledecky

1. Easop Lee, NBAC 2:00.09
2. Kenisha Liu, Brea Aquatics 2:00.34
3. Lauren Pitzer, Lakeside Aquatic Club 2:00.39

Easop Lee of NBAC took the Jr National title here tonight, going 2:00.08. Despite three girls being entered in this meet with times under 2:00, nobody was able to get under that mark tonight. Kenisha Liu of Brea Aquatics was right behind Lee at 2:00.34, with Lakeside Aquatic Club’s Lauren Pitzer just a touch behind Liu at 2:00.39. Pitzer was out hard in 58.49 (nobody else was out nearly that fast) and held on to get third.

Enfinity Aquatics’ Olivia Carter was also under 2:01, going 2:00.67 for fourth.

Taking the B-final was Magnolia’s Lucie Nordmann, who put together a very strong race. She finished with a 2:00.01, nearly breaking the 2:00 barrier.

BOYS 200 FREESTYLE – FINALS

• WJR: 1:47.00 7/2/2017 Maxime Rooney, USA
• Meet: 1:48.64 Caeleb Dressel, Bolles
• 13-14 NAG: 1:53.31 – Trey Freeman/Aldan Johnston
• 15-16 NAG: 1:48.64 – Caeleb Dressel
• 17-18 NAG: 1:45.99 – Michael Phelps

1. Alexander Zettle, Lakeside Aquatic Club 1:49.13
2. Jack LeVant, North Texas Nadadores 1:50.25
3. Carson Foster, Mason Manta Rays 1:50.44

The race was set between three boys, with Alexander Zettle, Carson Foster, and Jack LeVant well ahead of the rest of the field. Zettle was untouchable in the back-half, winding up on top with a 1:49.13 to post the #15 time in 17-18 history.

LeVant swam a 1:50.25 to take 2nd, followed by Foster in 1:50.44 for 3rd. Foster sits 11th in 15-16 history in this race.

Notably, in the C final, Dare Rose of Scarlet Aquatics broke the 13-14 NAG record with a 1:53.30 to shave .01 off of Trey Freeman’s/Aldan Johnston’s mark. In the B final, Pleasantville Aquatics’ Destin Lasco swam a big 1:50.30 to move to #7 in the 15-16 historical rankings. Lasco’s time would’ve been good for third in the A final.

GIRLS 200 BREASTSTROKE – FINALS

• WJR: 2:19.64 8/30/2015 Viktoria Gunes, Turkey
• Meet: 2:26.35 8/13/2012 Allie Szekely, Central Bucks Swim Team
• 13-14 NAG: 2:25.75 – Amanda Beard
• 15-16 NAG: 2:25.35 – Anita Nall
• 17-18 NAG: 2:24.47 – Lilly King

1. Zoie Hartman, Crow Canyon 2:28.09
2. Claire Donan, Triton Swimming 2:30.21
3. Rachel Ramey, Texas Ford 2:30.25

Just as she did in the 100 breast when she won it the other night, Zoie Hartman swam confidently and charged her way under the 2:30 barrier with a lifetime best 2:28.09 for the junior national title tonight. Hartman, 16, now ranks 10th all-time in the 15-16 age group.

2nd place Claire Donan of Triton Swimming also moved up those rankings, the 15-year-old dropping down to a 2:30.21, ranking her 22nd now. 3rd went to Texas Ford’s Rachel Ramey, just behind Donan at 2:30.25.

Kaki Christensen of Chelsea Piers and Laura Goettler of Lake Erie Silver each had nice drops from prelims. Christensen went from 2:33.55 to 2:32.29 to take 4th, followed by 15-year-old Goettler, who went from a prelims 2:34.94 to 2:32.62.

BOYS 200 BREASTSTROKE – FINALS

• WJR: 2:08.71 4/15/2017 Qin Haiyaing, China
• Meet: 2:12.17 8/2/2015 Reece Whitley, Penn Charter
• 13-14 NAG: 2:15.84 – Ethan Dang
• 15-16 NAG: 2:11.30 – Reece Whitley
• 17-18 NAG: 2:10.92 – Kevin Cordes

1. Daniel Roy, King Aquatic Club 2:11.25
2. AJ Bornstein, Ridgefield 2:13.96
3. Jake Foster, Mason Manta Rays 2:14.34

Daniel Roy was the clear favorite to win this, and he lived up to that expectation fully with a 2:11.25. Though Jake Foster jumped out to the lead at the first 50, Roy stormed back and took control on the way home. That time was a best and a meet record, and he comes just shy of Kevin Cordes’ 2:10.92 17-18 NAG record.

Foster’s 2:14.32 made it up to #4 in the 15-16 age group, while Ethan Dang‘s 2:15.13 sits at 8th. Ridgefield’s AJ Bornstein was 2nd to the wall tonight with a 2:13.96. 14-year-old Matt Fallon of Somerset Valley went a PR 2:19.73, and he moves closer to cracking the 13-14 top 5 (he’s at #6). Jake Foster actually is #5 in 13-15 with a 2:19.19.

GIRLS 100 BACKSTROKE – FINALS

• WJR: 59.34 7/2/2016 Minna Atherton, Australia
• Meet: 59.77 8/14/2009 Rachel Bootsma, Aquajets
• 13-14 NAG: 1:00.26 – Regan Smith
• 15-16 NAG: 59.18 – Missy Franklin
• 17-18 NAG: 58.33 – Missy Franklin

1. Isabelle Stadden, FAST 1:01.23
2. Lucie Nordmann, Magnolia 1:01.63
3. Grace Haskett, Indiana Swim Team 1:01.88

After Lucie Nordmann took a bunch of time off in the 200 free B final, she looked ready for another big swim in the 100 back. It was FAST’s Isabelle Stadden, though, at 1:01.23 who got the win. Nordmann was just behind at 1:01.63.

Indiana Swim Team’s Grace Haskett was out very fast, and she held on to grab the bronze with a 1:01.78. Breaking 1:02 for the first time, like Haskett, was Beach Cities’ Alexandra Crisera at 1:01.88.

16-year-old Katharine Berkoff of the Missoula Aquatic Club was the last finisher faster than 1:02, going 1:01.93.

BOYS 100 BACKSTROKE – FINALS

• WJR: 53.35 8/9/2017 Kliment Kolesnikov, RUS
• Meet: 54.99 8/2/2015 Michael Andrew, Indie Swimming
• 13-14 NAG: 56.83 – Michael Andrew
• 15-16 NAG: 53.76 – Ryan Murphy
• 17-18 NAG: 53.38 – Ryan Murphy

1. Carson Foster, Mason Manta Rays 55.61
2. Shaine Casas, Nitro 55.79
3. Glen Cowand, Katy Aquatic Team 56.19

Carson Foster of Mason adds to his golds in the 200 back and 200 fly with a win in the 100 back, going 55.61. That time ties him with Pat Murphy and Jacob Pebley for the #8 time in 15-16 history in this event, though Foster has over a year left in the age group to keep climbing the rankings.

Nitro’s Shaine Casas was also under 56 seconds with a 55.79, while Katy’s Glen Cowand posted a 56.19 to finish third.

In the B final, Jason Park took more than 1.5 seconds off of his prelims time to put up a very strong 56.02– that would’ve been good for third place had he swum it in the A final.

GIRLS 4X200 FREE RELAY

• Meet: 8:10.13 8/8/2013 York YMCA, York YMCA-MA (C Harnish, N Price, E Ilgenfritz, M Small)

1. Magnolia Aquatic Club 8:10.64
2. Austin Swim Club 8:13.97
3. SwimMAC 8:15.34

Magnolia got a big lead after Lucie Nordmann dropped a 2:00.78 to lead-off, and they held the lead the rest of the way to win the race in 8:10.64, just off of York YMCA’s meet record. Lillie Nordmann, 15, anchored in 2:02.11. Austin Swim Club was 2nd helped by 2:02’s from Dakota Luther and Diana Dunn, while SwimMAC picked up third in 8:15.34.