2022 U.S. Junior Nationals: Day 4 Finals Live Recap

2022 SPEEDO JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS

• August 1 to 5, 2022
• William Woollett Jr. Aquatics Center, Irvine, California
• Long Course Meters (50m)
• Meet Central
• Event Page
• Psych Sheets
• Live Stream (USA Swimming)
• Live Results (OMEGA) (also can be found on MeetMobile)

THURSDAY FINALS HEAT SHEET

The penultimate finals session of the 2022 US Junior Nationals takes place from Irvine this evening, with finals of the 200 free, 100 back, 200 breast and all heats of the 400 free slated for tonight. Finals kick off at 5 PM Pacific, 8 PM Eastern, time.

After winning the 100 free earlier this week, Tide’s Kayla Wilson comes in as the top qualifier in the girl’s 200 free, though figures to be challenged by TXLA’s Jillian Cox, who threw down a 2:00.91 split in the 800 free relay on Tuesday and has already won the 400 and 800 free this week. On the boy’s side, Jersey Wahoos’ Henry McFadden and Cavalier Aquatics’ Thomas Heilman will go head to head again after Heilman came out on top in the 100 free on Tuesday night.

Elmbrook’s Maggie Wanezek comes in as the top qualifier in the girl’s 100 back, while Johnny Marshall comes in as the top qualifier in the boy’s 100 back. The final individual event of the night will feature 14-year-old Raya Mellott of the Crow Canyon Sharks as the top seed in the 200 breast, while Coronado’s Nick Mahabir seeks to sweep the breaststroke races as the top qualifier in the boy’s 200.

The session will close with the 400 free relays, where Elmbrook Swim Club comes in as the top seed on the girl’s side and SwimMac comes in as the top seed on the boy’s side.

GIRLS 200 FREESTYLE – FINALS

• World Junior Record: 1:54.79, Summer McIntosh (CAN) – 2022
• Meet Record: 1:58.26, Lia Neal (2011)
• 13-14 NAG: 1:58.23, Sippy Woodhead (1979)
• 15-16 NAG: 1:55.06, Missy Franklin (2011)
• 17-18 NAG: 1:54.43, Katie Ledecky (2016)

Top 8 finishers:

1. Kayla Wilson (Tide): 1:58.69
2. Justina Kozan (Unattached): 1:58.80
3. Jillian Cox (Longhorn): 1:58.95
4. Kristina Paegle (Indiana Swim Club): 2:01.07
5. Maggie Schalow (Irvine Nova): 2:01.24
6. Annika Parkhe (Patriot): 2:01.48
7. Gigi Johnson (Swim Atlanta): 2:01.70
8. Sophia Knapp (Tide): 2:02.48

In a thrilling first final of the evening, it was a three-way battle for the title in the girl’s 200 free. Kayla Wilson and Justina Kozan separated themselves from the field early, though Jillian Cox fought back on the final 50 meters to make it a three way battle. In the end, Wilson, a Stanford commit, took home the title in 1:58.69, just four tenths off of Lia Neal’s meet record from 11 years ago.

Kozan settled for the silver in 1:58.80, while Cox came in for the bronze in 1:58.95. Kozan was 6 tenths off of her lifetime best, but Cox dropped 1.6 seconds from her best on the day.

BOYS 200 FREESTYLE – FINALS

• World Junior Record: 1:43.21, David Popovici (ROU) – 2022
• Meet Record: 1:47.75, Alexei Sancov (2018)
• 13-14 NAG: 1:51.27, Thomas Heilman (2021)
• 15-16 NAG: 1:47.73, Luca Urlando (2019)
• 17-18 NAG: 1:45.99, Michael Phelps (2003)

Top 8 finishers:

1. Henry McFadden (Jersey Wahoos): 1:48.27
2. Chase Mueller (Foothills): 1:49.60
3. Thomas Heilman (Cavalier): 1:50.34
4. Owen McDonald (Dynamo): 1:50.69
5. Aaron Shackell (Carmel): 1:50.84
6. Logan Walker (Nitro): 1:51.69
7. Sebastien Sergile (Swim Atlanta): 1:52.29
8. Norvin Clontz (SwimMac): 1:53.69

Henry McFadden of the Jersey Wahoos dominated the A final, leading wire to wire while blasting a new lifetime best of 1:48.27 to take the junior national title. The swim also marks the 2nd fastest 15-16 boys 200 free in American history, surpassing Carson Foster and sitting only behind Luca Urlando. McFadden will also be attending Junior Pan Pacs for the USA.

Finishing in second was Chase Mueller of Foothills, who stopped the clock in 1:49.60. That completes a breakout day for Mueller in the event, dropping nearly four full seconds from his seed entering the meet.

Rounding out the top three was Cavalier Aquatics’ Thomas Heilman, the 100 free champion. Heilman closed in a quick 27.78 to finish in 1:50.97, a new lifetime best.

GIRLS 100 BACKSTROKE – FINALS

• World Junior Record: 57.57, Regan Smith (USA) – 2019
• Meet Record: 59.77, Rachel Bootsma (2009)
• 13-14 NAG: 1:00.26, Regan Smith (2016)
• 15-16 NAG: 58.83, Regan Smith (2018)
• 17-18 NAG: 57.57, Regan Smith (2019)

Top 8 finishers:

1. Maggie Wanezek (Elmbrook): 1:00.46
2. Berit Berglund (Carmel): 1:00.85
3. Teagan O’Dell (Irvine Nova): 1:01.40
4. Emma Kern (Aquajet): 1:01.54
5. Anya Mostek (Phoenixville Y): 1:01.75
6. Catie Choate (Dynamo): 1:01.82
7. Maya Dewitt (Unattached): 1:01.84
8. Izzy Bradley (Cavalier): 1:03.85

Elmbrook’s Maggie Wanezek, who was the top qualifier out of the prelims, took care of business this evening by touching first in 1:00.46, a new lifetime best by three tenths. Wanezek used a strong back half to take the win, pulling away from the field over the final 15 meters.

Carmel’s Berit Berglund, who swam out of lane 7, finished as the silver medalist. Berglund was out extremely fast, flipping first at the 50 meter, though she faded down the stretch as Wanezek overtook her. Rounding out the top three was hometown favorite Teagan O’Dell, who finished in 1:01.40.

BOYS 100 BACKSTROKE – FINALS

• World Junior Record: 52.53, Kliment Kolesnikov (RUS) – 2018
• Meet Record: 54.97, Hunter Armstrong (2019)
• 13-14 NAG: 56.62, Josh Zuchowski (2019)
• 15-16 NAG: 53.59, Daniel Diehl (2022)
• 17-18 NAG: 53.38, Ryan Murphy (2013)

Top 8 finishers:

1. Will Modglin (Zionsville): 54.41
2. Jonny Marshall (Firestone Akron): 54.72
3. Josh Zuchowski (Flood Aquatics): 55.18
4. Lucas Logue (Aquajets): 55.78
5. Idris Muhammad (Dynamo): 56.16
6. Joseph Hayburn (Annapolis): 56.36
7. Chase Mueller (Foothills): 56.71
8. Sam Lorenz (Shroeder YMCA): 56.81

In a race that came down to the touch, it was Zionsville’s Will Modglin that got his hand on the wall first to claim the junior national title in 54.41. The swim is a 1.2 second drop for the Texas commit and breaks US Olympian Hunter Armstrong’s meet record set in 2019.

Also coming in under the previous meet record was Jonny Marshall of Firestone Akron. Marshall began to close on Modglin over the final 25 meters but eventually ran out of room to complete the comeback.

Claiming the bronze was Stanford commit Josh Zuchowski of Flood Aquatics. The 55.18 was a new life best for the 18 year old who won the 200 back last night.

GIRLS 200 BREASTSTROKE – FINALS

• World Junior Record: 2:19.64, Viktoria Gunes (RUS) – 2015
• Meet Record: 2:26.35, Allie Szekely (2012)
• 13-14 NAG: 2:25.75, Amanda Beard (1996)
• 15-16 NAG: 2:25.35, Anita Richesson (1992)
• 17-18 NAG: 2:24.47, Lilly King (2015)

Top 8 finishers:

1. Katie Christopherson (Swim Atlanta): 2:28.76
2. Raya Mellott (Crow Canyon): 2:29.93
3. Katherine Adams (Tualatin Hills): 2:30.97
4. Avery Klamfoth (SwimMac): 2:31.46
5. Abigail Herscu (Livermore): 2:31.53
6. Ainsley Jones (Dynamo): 2:32.03
7. Molly Sweeney (Carmel): 2:32.67
8. Eliza Brown (Commonwealth Current): 2:32.99

Katie Christopherson of Swim Atlanta charged home over the final 50 meters to take the junior national title in 2:28.76. Christopherson split a 38.29 on the 4th 50 to overtake 14-year-old Raya Mellott, who settled for the silver. The swim marked an over 5 second drop on the day for Christopherson.

Mellott, representing the Crow Canyon Sharks, dropped over 2 seconds on the day and broke the 2:30 barrier for the first time with her silver medal performance of 2:29.93. Mellott is the youngest 200 breaststroker to finish second or higher at this meet since 2014, when Aspen Swim Club’s Emma Cain finished second.  Rounding out the top three was Tualatin Hills’ Katherine Adams, who finished in 2:30.97.

BOYS 200 BREASTSTROKE – FINALS

• World Junior Record: 2:09.39, Haiyang Qin (CHN) – 2017
• Meet Record: 2:11.25, Daniel Roy (2017)
• 13-14 NAG: 2:15.84, Ethan Dang (2016)
• 15-16 NAG: 2:09.40, Josh Matheny (2019)
• 17-18 NAG: 2:08.91, Matt Fallon (2021)

Top 8 finishers:

1. Nick Mahabir (Coronado): 2:12.54
2. Joshua Chen (Ames Cyclone): 2:13.71
3. Jake Eccleston (Loveland): 2:14.46
4. Daniel Li (Rose Bowl): 2:15.36
5. Colin Zhang (Glenbrook): 2:15.53
6. Charlie Egeland (Aquajet): 2:16.50
7. Jed Garner (Rockville Montgomery): 2:18.16
8. Kalvin Hahn (Greater Omaha): 2:18.68

Coronado’s Nick Mahabir, who trains in the United States but represents Singapore internationally, completed the breaststroke sweep on the week, winning the 200 breast in a new lifetime best of 2:12.54, just off the Singaporean record of 2:11.93.

Coming in for the silver was Ames Cyclones’ Joshua Chen, who was competitive with Mahabir for the entire race. Chen dropped over four seconds from his previous lifetime best to finish with the silver.

The bronze medal went to Loveland Swim Club’s Jake Eccleston, who had a breakout day in the event. Eccleston came into the day with a lifetime best of 2:21.06 and posted a 2:14.46 tonight, a 6.6 second drop on the day.

GIRLS 400 FREE RELAY – FINALS

• 15-18 NAG: 3:44.88, Carmel (2014)

Top 8 finishers:

1. Elmbrook: 3:46.64
2. Irvine Nova: 3:48.17
3. Carmel: 3:49.39
4. North Baltimore: 3:50.11
5. Rose Bowl: 3:50.38
6. Elevation: 3:50.95
7. Longhorn: 3:51.37
8. Mission Viejo: 3:51.48

The top-seeded heat came down to a three team race, with Carmel in lane 3, Elmbrook in lane 4 and Irvine Nova in lane 8. All three teams were within a half second of one another heading into the anchor leg, but Elmbrook’s Abby Wanezek who won the 100 back tonight, pulled away from the field with a 55.85 anchor to post the top time of 3:46.64.

BOYS 400 FREE RELAY – FINALS

• 15-18 NAG: 3:21.91, SwimMac (2021)

Top 8 finishers:

1. Dynamo: 3:25.12
2. Rose Bowl: 3:25.21
3. Nitro: 3:25.71
4. Mason: 3:26.67
5. Carmel: 3:26.75
6. Blue Tide: 3:27.18
7. Irvine Nova: 3:27.37
8. Cavalier: 3:27.37

The top seeded heat was led early by the Mason Manta Rays out of lane 3, but Ronald Dalmacio made a move to put Rose Bowl in the lead after the third leg. Dynamo, who has dominated the boys relays this week, mounted a come-from-behind victory after a blazing 50.88 anchor leg from Idris Muhammed. Dynamo now holds the top time after the top two seeded heats.

Nitro dominated the second-fastest seeded heat, dropping nearly five seconds from their seed to secure the bronze.