2021 Speedo Summer Championships – Irvine: Day 4 Finals Live Recap

2021 Speedo Summer Championships – Irvine

• August 3-7
• William Woollett Jr. Aquatics Center, Irvine, CA
• LCM (50m)
• Meet Website (USA Swimming)
• Psych Sheet
• Live Results
• Live Stream (USA Swimming)

FRIDAY FINALS HEAT SHEET

Day 4 – Friday, August 6

• 400 Freestyle
• 100 Breaststroke
• 100 Backstroke
• Men’s 4 x 200 Free Relay

Preview:

Tulane’s Lilly Byrne clocked the top time of the morning in the women’s 400 free, swimming a huge lifetime best of 4:16.52. Byrne will have a fight on her hands tonight, however, as Jillian Cox (Austin Swim Club) and Kayla Han (La Mirada Armada) will be on either side of her. Cox has a lifetime best of 4:13.24, and is the women’s 800 free champion and 200 free runner-up at this meet. Han, 13, also has a lifetime best of 4:16.5, and has appeared in several A finals this week. Also in the mix is Iowa Flyers Aurora Roghair, who was the 800 free runner-up and 200 free 3rd-place finisher. Roghair has a best of 4:14.70, and swam a 4:17.45 this morning.

We’re set for a similarly exciting battle in the men’s 400 free, as Lakeridge Swim Team’s Luke Hobson prevented Rosebowl Aquatics Trenton Julian from taking the top seed tonight. Both Hobson and Julian were off their personal bests. Having already won the men’s 200 fly, 200 free, and 100 fly this week, Julian is chasing his 4th title of the meet here. We’ll also be keeping an eye on David Johnston (University of Texas), who is the top seed in the B final. Johnston has won the men’s 1500 and 400 IM at this meet, with lifetime bests in both.

In the women’s 100 breast, University of Denver Hilltoppers’ Emma Weber (17) posted the fastest time of the morning. Weber posted a 1:08.55 this morning, and was the only swimmer to go under 1:09. However, USC’s Kaitlyn Dobler is in the A final field tonight, and is the favorite. Dobler finished 5th at the Olympic Trials in the event in June with her best time of 1:06.29, and is ranked #16 in the world this year.

AJ Pouch (Team Rebel) is the top seed and the favorite in the men’s 100 breast tonight, but will likely be pushed by Metroplex 17-year-old Zhier Fan. Pouch is the only swimmer in the field to have been under 1:01 before, but Fan is coming off an excellent 200 breaststroke on day 2, in which he finished 3rd and swam a massive lifetime best.

In the women’s 100 back, we have a thrilling showdown on our hands between Irvine Novaquatics 14-year-old Teagan O’Dell and Elmbrook Swim Club 15-year-old Maggie Wanezek. O’Dell has been exceptional this week, already post all-time top 10 performances for 13-14 girls in 3 of her events. This morning, she clipped her personal best to rise to 15th all-time in the age group. Similarly, Wanezek is highly ranked in the 15-16 age group all-time standings. Based off their other races at this meet, both girls appear primed to swim best times tonight.

In the men’s 100 back, Schroeder YMCA’s Ziyad Saleem (18) is looking to complete a sweep of the men’s backstroke events at this meet.

Live Recap:

WOMEN’S 400 FREESTYLE – FINALS

Podium:

1. Jillian Cox (ASC) – 4:13.09
2. Kayla Han (RMDA) – 4:14.52
3. Aurora Roghair (IFLY) – 4:14.79

Austin Swim Club 16-year-old Jillian Cox got the win in tonight’s A final, swimming a 4:13.09. The swim marked a personal best by 0.15 seconds, breaking a 2-year plateau in the event. Cox has now won the women’s 800 and 400 freestyles, and finished 2nd in the 200 free, with best times in all 3 events.

13-year-old La Mirada Armada product Kayla Han had a massive swim tonight, roaring to 2nd with a 4:14.52. The swim marks a personal best for Han by 2 seconds, dipping under her previous best of 4:16.58, which was swum 3 weeks ago. Han has now risen to #24 all-time in the 13-14 age group, and is the #3 13-year-old of all-time in the event.

Aurora Roghair clocked a 4:17.79 to finish 3rd. Roghair, who finished 2nd in the women’s 800 free and 3rd in the 200 free, touched just off her lifetime best of 4:14.70. Edina Swim Club’s Katie McCarthy swam a 4:15.43 to earn a 4th-place finish tonight. The swim marked a lifetime best for McCarthy by 2 seconds.

MEN’S 400 FREESTYLE – FINALS

Podium:

1. David Johnston (TXLA) – 3:52.17
2. Luke Hobson (LAKE) – 3:53.15
3. Rex Maurer (ROSE) – 3:53.90

Texas’ David Johnston clocked a new lifetime best to win his 3rd event of the meet. The 1500 free and 400 IM champion, Johnston operated out of lane 8 tonight, leading the race wire-to-wire. Johnston’s previous best of 3:54.20 was set in April of this year.

Luke Hobson, the top seed heading into tonight, swam a 3:53.15 to better his prelims time. Hobson was just off his personal best of 3:52.79, which he swam at the U.S. Olympic Trials in June.

16-year-old ROSE swimmer Rex Maurer clocked a huge new personal best to take 3rd tonight. Maurer’s time of 3:53.90 makes him the #16 performer all-time in the boys 15-16 age group.

WOMEN’S 100 BREAST – FINALS

Podium:

1. Kaitlyn Dobler (TASC) – 1:07.46
2. Emma Weber (TOPS) – 1:07.62
3. Olivia Anderson (AQJT) – 1:08.69

Kaitlyn Dobler (USC) got out to the early lead, and managed to hold off a ferocious charge by TOPS 17-year-old Emma Weber in the final 15-20 meters. Dobler got the win in 1:07.46, which is off her personal best of 1:06.29.

Emma Weber had a massive swim for 2nd, splitting a very quick 35.65 on the 2nd 50 of the race. Weber entered the meet with a personal best of 1:08.04, which she swam in April of this year. The swim makes Weber the #11 performer all-time in the 17-18 age group at only 17.

Aquajets’ Olivia Anderson swam a 1:08.69 for 3rd. The swim was an improvement on Anderson’s prelims time, but was off her lifetime best. Coming in 4th was Elmbrook Swim Club 15-year-old Lucy Thomas, who clocked a 1:09.37. Thomas was off her personal best of 1:09.04, which she swam in April.

Justina Kozan (Mission Viejo) swam a lifetime best of 1:10.67 to win the B final. Kozan’s previous best was a 1:11.45, marking a 0.78-second improvement.

MEN’S 100 BREAST – FINALS

Podium:

1. AJ Pouch (TRA) – 1:00.63
2. Zhier Fan (MTRO) – 1:01.02
3. Ben Dillard (TASC) – 1:02.32

AJ Pouch pulled off his sweep of the breaststroke events this week, swimming a 1:00.63 to beat out Metroplex 17-year-old Zhier Fan. Pouch was just off his personal best of 1:00.35, which he swam at the Olympic Trials in June. He finished 9th in semifinals at Trials, one spot out from advancing to the final.

Fan clocked a new best time of 1:01.02. He dips under his previous best of 1:01.74 with the swim. Fan put together a well-split race, taking it out in 28.75, and coming home in 32.27. With the swim Fan has now risen to #9 all-time among 17-18 boys in the event. Moreover, he’s now the #4 17-year-old all-time.

Coming in 3rd was Ben Dillard (USC), touching in 1:02.32.

WOMEN’S 100 BACK – FINALS

Podium:

1. Maggie Wanezek (EBSC) – 1:00.84
2. Teagan O’Dell (NOVA) – 1:00.88
3. Meghan Donald (ACAC) – 1:02.69

This race lived up to the hype, with Maggie Wanezek and Teagan O’Dell swimming stroke-for-stroke the whole way through. O’Dell appeared to have a very slight lead coming out of the turn, but it was quickly evened out. It was impossible to tell who won by the naked eye, but Wanezek got her hand on the wall 0.04 seconds ahead of O’Dell.

Nonetheless, both girls swam lifetime bests, and rose in the all-time rankings for thei age groups. Wanezek’s time marks a personal best by 0.36 seconds, lifting the 15-year-old to #16 all-time in the 15-16 age group. O’Dell’s swim gives her her 4th all-time top 10 ranking for 13-14 girls this week. Her time was a personal best by 0.74 seconds, and puts her 5th all-time among 13-14 girls.

Meghan Donald, a 17-year-old out of Ames Cyclone Aquatic Club, swam a personal best of 1:02.69 to grab 3rd tonight. The swim came in well under her previous best of 1:03.28, which was swum in May of this year.

16-year-old Emma Kern (Aquajets) won the B final in a new personal best of 1:02.69.

MEN’S 100 BACK – FINALS

Podium:

1. Ziyad Saleem (SSTY) – 55.27
2. Kyle Millis (BC) – 56.29
3. Charlie Crosby (HURR) – 56.52

Schroeder Y’s Ziyad Saleem completed his sweep of the men’s backstroke events here in Irvine. The 18-year-old won tonight’s 100 back in best time fashion, posting a 55.27. Entering the meet with a personal best of 55.54 from November of 2020, that marks a 0.27-second drop for Saleem. With the swim, he also rises to #26 all-time for 17-18 boys in the event.

Saleem took the race out in 26.93 on the first 50, the only sub-27 split in the field. Runner-up Kyle Millis was out in 27.54, but had the 2nd-fastest closing split in the field, 28.75, behind only Saleem’s 28.34. Millis’ time marks a personal best, dipping just under his previous mark of 56.38.

Charlie Crosby was 3rd at the 50m turn, and maintained that position through the back half of the race. Crosby was also just under his previous best, which stood at 56.59 from March of this year.

4th-place finisher Marcus Gentry (Superior Stingrays) also swam a personal best. Gentry clocked a 56.67 tonight, coming in just a tick under his previous best of 56.74.

MEN’S 800 FREE RELAY – FINALS

Podium:

1. Cal ‘A’ – 7:20.97
2. Rose Bowl Aquatics ‘A’ – 7:25.82
3. Irvine Novaquatics ‘A’ – 7:28.47

Cal was dominant in this relay, leading from the 250m mark on through the end of the race. Dare Rose got Cal out to a 1:49.77 lead-off, which was bettered only by NOVA’s Cristian Quintero splitting 1:49.18 on their lead-off leg. Following Rose, Destin Lasco split 1:49.22, with Dylan Hawk clocking a 1:51.89 on the 2rd leg. Sean Grieshop anchored the relay to victory in 1:50.09.

Trenton Julian was absolutely hauling on the Rose Bowl anchor, getting his squad from 3rd into 2nd. Julian split a blistering 1:46.93, coming in 0.57 seconds faster than his lifetime best of 1:47.50. He wasted no time capitalizing on the flying start, splitting a stunning 50.57 on the opening 100.