2017 College Station Sectionals
- Thursday, February 23 – Sunday, February 26, 2017
- College Station, TX
- Texas A&M Student Recreation Center
- Short Course Yards
- Results available on Meet Mobile
2012 Olympian Breeja Larson won three events in front of a home crowd to highlight the College Station Speedo Sectional meet. Larson has stayed busy as she continues her pro career. Now competing for NYAC, she won three events. Larson was 57.91 to win the 100 breast, 2:04.71 for the 200 breast title and 49.74 to take the 100 freestyle.
The breaststroke swims aren’t quite lifetime-bests for Larson, but the 200 ranks inside the top 10 swims all-time (it should be 9th all-time factoring in Lilly King and Kierra Smith’s times from Big Tens, which aren’t yet included on USA Swimming’s record lists) and the 100 is just outside the top 10.
On opening night, 17-year-old Gabrielle Kopenski won the 1000 free in 9:38.26, winning by 11 seconds and moving up to #24 in USA Swimming’s all-time ranks for the 17-18 age group. Still on the younger end of her age group, Kopenski leapfrogged Sarah Henry for that spot.
Kopenski also won the 1650 free (16:06.51), 500 free (4:41.22) and 400 IM (4:09.92) for Texas Ford Aquatics. That 1650 time ranks 41st all-time in the 17-18 age group, the 500 time sits just outside the top 50 and the 400 IM ranks 44th.
Aggie Swim Club 16-year-old Julia Cook won the 200 backstroke, going 1:54.48. That also lands on USA Swimming’s top age group list, tying for 24th in the 15-16 class with 1998’s Marci Vrooman. Cook was a multi-event winner, going 1:45.97 to win the 200 free (27th all-time and displacing Lia Neal on the 15-16 age group lists).
North Texas Nadadore Jack LeVant won the 200 back (1:45.06), 200 fly (1:45.47) and 200 free (1:36.15). Those 200 back and fly wins came in the same session in a pretty impressive double.
Palo Alto 18-year-old Albert Gwo also resurfaced at this meet. Gwo was a top-tier recruit for Cal, but hasn’t competed with the Golden Bears at all this season. Requests for comment from Cal, Gwo and from Gwo’s PASA club haven’t been returned. Gwo was 44.49 to win the 100 free, 48.49 to take the 100 fly and 20.09 to win the 50 free.
Other notable event winners:
- Hudson Smith won both breaststrokes for Brenham Swim Club. He was 2:00.28 in the 200 and 56.10 in the 100.
- Texas A&M’s Sarah Gibson made an appearance, staying sharp between SECs and NCAAs. Gibson won the 100 fly in 51.62, swimming just that event.
- PASA’s Grace Zhao, a blue-chip Stanford commit, won the 50 free in 22.81, just off a lifetime-best.