NC State Recruit Kennedy Noble Pops 1:55.33 200 Fly PB at Phoenix Sectionals

2022 Speedo Spring Sectionals – Phoenix

• March 24-27, 2022
• PCDS Aquatic Center, Phoenix, AZ
• SCY (25 yards)
• Psych Sheet
• Live Results on MeetMobile “2022 Spring Speedo Sectional – Phoenix, AZ”

The 2022 Speedo Sectional meet in Phoenix, AZ kicked off today, and was the only sectional this week that didn’t start with a short distance session. Instead, Phoenix’s meet ran a full day, featuring the 100 free, 200 breast, 200 fly, 1000 free, 200 medley relay, and 200 free relay.

In the first individual event of the finals session, Swim Neptune 16-year-old Caelle Armijo won the women’s 100 free in a very tight race. The swim was a personal best, clipping her previous career best of 50.675, which she swam in November of 2021. Coming in 2nd was Bellevue Club Swim Team 14-year-old Sophia Sunwoo, who clocked a new personal best of 50.57. Cody Kounty Aquatic Team 17-year-old Tara Joyce clipped her personal best, finishing 3rd in 50.63, while Bozeman Barracudas Swim Team 16-year-old Julia Huffmaster dipped under 51 seconds for the first time in her career, taking 4th in 50.75. Another 14-year-old, Tierney Lenahan of Bainbridge Island Swim Club, rounded out the tightly packed top 5, taking 5th with a personal best of 50.85.

Lander Swim Club 17-year-old Jonathan Kulow, coincidentally an Arizona State commit, swam a new personal best of 43.69 to win the men’s 100 free handily. Kulow was out in 20.89, splitting 22.80 on the 2nd 50. The swim chipped 0.14 seconds off his previous best of 43.83, which he set at the 2021 Speedo Winter Junior Championships – East meet. With the performance, Kulow is now the #47 performer all-time among 17-year-olds.

15-year-old August Vetsch out of Swim Neptune took 4th in the 100 free, took 4th in the 100 free with a 44.85. The swim was a massive personal best for Vetsch, blowing away his previous mark of 46.05, which was set just 3 weeks ago. Vetsch is now tied for 41st all-time among 15-year-olds in the event.

Bainbridge Island Swim Club 14-year-old Gracyn Kehoe took the women’s 200 breast, clocking a 2:16.44. The swim marked a new career best for Kehoe by 2 seconds. Thomas Caps, an 18-year-old from Aulea Swim Club, took the men’s 200 breast in 1:59.66. It was a milestone performance for Caps, marking his first time under 2:00 in the event.

Another huge performance tonight came from Phoenix Swim Club’s Kennedy Noble, who won the women’s 200 fly in a massive new personal best of 1:55.33. The swim was a new top mark for Noble by 2.38 seconds, taking down her previous time of 1:57.71, which she swam last March. Noble, an NC State recruit, is now tied for 43rd all-time among 17-18 girls in the event.

Swim Neptune also won the men’s 200 fly, where 17-year-old Keaton Jones swam a huge best time of 1:45.81. Jones, a Cal recruit, took 4.16 seconds off his previous best with the swim. Notably, Jones is a very versatile swimmer, but he’s primarily a backstroker, freestyler, and IM’er. With the swim tonight, it looks like the 200 fly may be beginning to enter into the fray for him as well.

Phoenix Swim Club’s Danielle Gleason picked off the women’s 1000 free with a new personal best of 9:59.57. The swim marks the 15-year-old’s first time under 10:00 in the event. Olympic Cascade Aquatics 16-year-old Matthew Williamson took the men’s 1000 free in 9:16.89, a new career best.