Swim of the Week is brought to you by arena, a SwimSwam partner.
Disclaimer: Swim of the Week is not meant to be a conclusive selection of the best overall swim of the week, but rather one Featured Swim to be explored in deeper detail. The Swim of the Week is an opportunity to take a closer look at the context of one of the many fast swims this week, perhaps a swim that slipped through the cracks as others grabbed the headlines, or a race we didn’t get to examine as closely in the flood of weekly meets.
Badger Swim Club’s Vanessa Delev nearly etched her name in the record books on Sunday in the 200 freestyle, coming within half a second of the girls’ 10 & under National Age Group Record.
Competing at the LIAC Summer Splash meet in East Meadow, N.Y., the 10-year-old put up a time of 2:14.82 in the 200 free, dropping more than two seconds from her PB and coming within earshot of the NAG record set by Leah Hayes in 2016.
Hayes’ mark stands at 2:14.39, and Kayla Han is the only other 10 & under American to have been sub-2:15, making Delev the 3rd-fastest swimmer in age group history.
All-Time Performers, Girls’ 10 & Under 200 Freestyle (LCM)
- Leah Hayes, 2:14.39 – 2016
- Kayla Han, 2:14.53 – 2019
- Vanessa Delev, 2:14.82 – 2024
- Claire Tuggle, 2:16.30 – 2015
- Elizabeth Beisel, 2:16.37 – 2003
Delev set her previous best time of 2:17.01 just last month, which ranked her 8th in age group history. She came into the 2023-24 season with a PB of 2:22.93 set in August 2023.
At the same meet she set her previous best, the GRYM June LCM Invitational in Greenwich, Conn., Delev also swam her fastest-ever 400 free in 4:47.98, moving her to #9 all-time in the 10 & under age group.
She also raced the 50 free (30.05), 100 back (1:13.10), 50 breast (42.70) and 100 breast (1:29.17) at the Summer Splash meet, setting a new best in the 100 breast.
This past March, Delev set a PB of 2:00.39 in the SCY 200 free, which ranks her #10 all-time in the 10 & under age group and has her just over two seconds shy of the NAG record set by Claire Tuggle in 2015 (1:58.20).
Follow arena USA on Instagram here.
About arena
arena has revolutionized the world of aquatic sport through insightful collaboration with world class athletes and the development of cutting edge competitive swimwear since 1973. Today, this spirit of collaboration and innovation lives on through a continuous evolution of advanced materials and Italian design that improves the performance, style and expression of all those who chose arena. From leading the lanes to living in style, arena is dedicated to providing all swimmers with the tools they need to express themselves, feel confident, win and achieve more. Because in arena, you can.
She has a bright future ahead of her!
Way to go Vanessa!!!