Liam Bell Breaks State Record With 53.83 Breast At GA 1A-5A State

Full results

Girls Meets

Westminster freshman Gigi Johnson powered the girls to the win in both the 1A-3A class and the overall 1A-5A meet. (Team scores are combined in live results, though the meet crowned separate individual and team champions between the 1A-3A and 4A-5A classes). Johnson won the 200 IM in 1:59.87 and the 100 breast in 1:03.09. Her Westminster team also went 1:34.89 to win the 200 free relay and 3:26.85 to win the 400 free relay.

The other double individual winner was junior Abby Pilkenton of Holy Innocents’, who won the 200 free in 1:47.06 and the 100 free in 50.14.

In the 4A-5A meet, senior Jade Foelske led Chamblee with three wins. Foleske swam breaststroke on the winning medley relay (1:45.94), plus won the 200 IM (2:00.22) and 100 fly (53.81). She’s verbally committed to swim for Arizona State next fall.

Boys Meets

On the boys side, Westminster didn’t win a single individual event, but swept all three relays to pace the meet. Miles Clayton, Savaan Shah, Daniel Barra and Cole Hinkes went 1:34.30 in the 200 medley relay. Connor Hinkes, Donovan Mitchell, Cole Hinkes and Grayson Harralson combined to go 1:24.70 in the 200 free relay. And Harralson, Peter Bernot, Dylan Vroon and Connor Hinkes were 3:07.95 in the 400 free relay.

Atlanta International senior Nicholas Goudie swept the events around the diving break, going 20.40 to win the 50 free and 49.61 to take the 100 fly. Meanwhile Pace Academy senior Charlie Kaye won the 100 free (45.33) and 100 back (49.35).

The 4A-5A meet was highlighted by Dillon Downing, who put up massive times in the sprints. The Blessed Trinity senior was 19.86 in the 50 free (two tenths off a state record held by future Big Ten champ Paul Powers) and 43.63 in the 100 free (a half-second off Powers’ record). Downing was actually a tenth faster in prelims of the 50 free. He’s a Georgia Bulldog recruit for next fall.

St. Pius X won the meet, thanks in large part to senior Ian Grum. Grum was 1:38.10 to win the 200 free and 4:26.38 to take the 500 free. Grum also helped St. Pius X win the 400 free relay with a 3:10.40. Grum and Downing will be teammates at the University of Georgia next year.

The other dual individual event winner was Druid Hills senior Liam Bell, who went 1:49.65 in the 200 IM and 53.83 in the 100 breast. That breaststroke time smashed a state record set at 54.28 last year. Bell will swim for Alabama next year.

Team Champions

• 1A-3A Girls: Westminster
• 1A-3A Boys: Westminster
• 4A-5A Girls: Chamblee
• 4A-5A Boys: St. Pius X

Overall (1A-5A) team scores:

Girls:

1. Westminster – 445
2. Great Atlanta Christian – 273
3. Chamblee – 262
4. St. Pius X – 256
5. Colombus – 255

Boys:

1. Westminster – 572
2. St. Pius X – 364
3. Woodward Academy – 280.5
4. Oconee County – 273
5. Blessed Trinity – 250