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.
Colby Hughes, 16, South Bay Aquatics (SBA-SI): Swimming in a three-day time trial meet in California, 16-year-old Hughes his six career-best times in short course yards. Probably most impressive was his 1:50.57 in the 200 fly on the middle day of competition. Hurt also went 52.00 in the 100 fly, 1:44.78 in the 200 free, 4:34.99 in the 500 free, 9:30.12 in the 1000 free and 15:42.34 in the 1650 free, all lifetime-bests.
Kathryn Monville, 13, New Wave Swim Team (WAVE-NC): In North Carolina, 13-year-old Monville hit four personal-bests in long course meters. Her 1:08.21 in the 100 back represents a drop of more than four seconds. That time would have ranked in the top 20 among all U.S. 13-year-olds for the 2019-2020 season. Monville also dropped nearly four seconds in the 100 fly (going 1:05.61), more than a second in the 100 free (1:02.59) and a tenth in the 50 free (28.55).
Luke Kumpe, 12, Bartlett Extreme Swim Team (BXST-SE): In Tennessee, 12-year-old Kumpe cracked six personal-best times in an intrasquad meet. Kumpe blasted a 1:05.54 in the 100 back to drop more than five seconds. He also swam his first-ever 200 back (2:22.34) while shaving six seconds off a 100 IM (1:10.94) and a second from his 100 free (54.95). Kumpe was also 24.52 in the 50 free to cut two tenths.
Christine Datovech, 14, SwimRVA (SRVA-VA): 14-year-old Datovech had three personal-bests in an intrasquad meet, following three other personal-bests in an intrasquad in late August. Datovech dropped three seconds in her 200-yard fly, from 2:11.6 to 2:08.65. She also cut half-second in the 100 fly (57.40) and three-and-a-half in the 200 breast (2:34.66).