In our Weekly Wonders of Age Group Swimming series, we celebrate the swimmers of every age and experience level by profiling several young swimmers and their recent results.
Charlotte Driesse, 13, Loggerhead Aquatics (LA-FL): At the FL Hydro 4 Invite in Florida, 13-year-old Driesse hit four personal bests. 25.46 in the 50-yard freestyle was probably the highlight, but Driesse also went 55.16 in the 100 free, 27.75 in the 50 fly and 2:20.44 in the 200 fly. That was a drop of more than four seconds in the 200 fly and about half a second in both the 50 fly and 100 free.
Carson Converse, 14, Fox Valley Park District Riptides (TIDE-IL): 14-year-old Converse hit a pair lifetime-bests in the Riptides time trial meet in Illinois. The age grouper went 2:07.52 in the 200-yard back and 2:30.29 in the 200-yard breast. Those were moderate drops in both races, besting times from February.
Heidi Smithwick, 16, Jupiter Dragons Swim Team (JDST-FG): With the new season beginning September 1, Smithwick jumped to the national lead for all 18-and-unders in the 50 free and 100 free, swimming at the FG Dragons Fall Short Course meet. Smithwick went 51.79 in the 100 free – that’s within about a half-second of her personal-best. She was also 23.65 in the 50 free, again about half a second from a personal-best. She also hit a nation-leading (among 18-and-unders) 2:06.51 in the 200 IM
Nicely done!