NAC’s Walsh Sisters Tune-up For Winter Juniors At Music City Invite

2018 NAC Speedo Music City Invitational

• Friday, 11/30 – Sunday, 12/2, 2018
• Nashville, TN
• Centennial Sportsplex
• SCY (25 Yards)
• Live Results
• Results on MeetMobile under “2018 NAC SPEEDO Music City Invitational”

Nashville Aquatic Club’s annual Music City Invitational typically attracts the top junior-level swimmers in the southeastern United States. However, with USA Swimming’s higher-profile Winter Junior Nationals just one week later, most of the top talent usually holds off on competing at the Music City Invite. This year, Nashville’s own studs Ella Nelson and sisters Alex Walsh and Gretchen Walsh competed in a select number events – presumably as a tune-up for the upcoming Winter Junior Nationals-East in Greensboro, NC this week.

The trio only competed in one (1) individual event and one (1) relay. In the 200 IM, University of Virginia commit Nelson swam a 1:59.76 for the victory – within striking distance of her lifetime best of 1:58.31 set last February at the Tennessee High School Championships. She is the 6th seed at Winter Junior Nationals-East this week. Alex Walsh, one of the top recruits in the class of 2020, competed in the 50 free where she claimed the victory in 22.35 over her younger sister Gretchen in 22.48. Gretchen (21.85) and Alex (22.08) are the 1st and 2nd seeds, respectively, at Winter Junior Nationals-East this week. Gretchen also led-off NAC’s 400 freestyle relay in 48.65, with Nelson and Alex splitting 51.37 and 49.51, respectively.

It’s worth noting that Gretchen and Nelson deployed a similar preparation strategy last year, which paid off. At the 2017 Music City Invite, Gretchen only swam the 200 free (1:49.01). She then went on to achieve the following results at Junior Nationals: 50 free – 1st (22.00), 100 free – 2nd (48.72), and 100 fly – 5th (53.07). Gretchen also had splits of  21.01 (free leg, 200 medley relay – 2nd), 47.81 (anchor, 400 medley relay – 1st), 1:46.17 (2nd leg, 800 free relay – 1st), 22.42 (leadoff, 200 free relay – 1st), and 49.25 (leadoff, 400 free relay – 1st). Nelson swam a 2:00.65 at the 2017 Music City Invite and then went on to place 5th in the 200 IM (1:59.39) and 2nd in the 200 breast (2:09.87) at Junior Nationals.

Between the two Walsh sisters, they currently hold a combined nine (9) SCY National Age Group Records: 11-12 200 back: Alex, 1:58.31; 11-12 200 breast: Alex, 2:15.64; 11-12 100 IM: Alex, 56.76; 13-14 50 free: Gretchen, 22.00; 13-14 200 IM: Alex, 1:56.20; 15-16 50 free: Gretchen, 21.85; 15-16 100 breast: Alex, 58.19; 15-16 200 breast: Alex, 2:06.45; 15-16 200 IM: Alex, 1:54.02.

Other notable swims from the meet:

• Carmel’s Carter Lancaster and Lakeside’s Johnny Crush blew away the field in the boy’s 11-12 50 backstroke in 26.24 and 26.56, respectively.
• Mackenzie Nedom of Fort Collins Area Swim Team won the girl’s 13-14 100 free in 51.77.
• 13 year-old Kayden Lancaster of Carmel won the boy’s 13-14 100 free in 48.33.
• Lakeside’s Sydney Perkins dominated the field in the girl’s 11-12 100 breast in 1:06.86.
• Fort Collins Area Swim Team’s Jack Ballard threw down a 4:03.06 to win the boy’s 13-14 400 IM.
• 13 year-old Jenna Brown of Lakeside ran away with the girl’s 13-14 200 fly in 2:07.05.
• Owen Watkins of Fort Collins Area Swim Team won the boy’s 13-14 200 fly handily in 1:53.48.
• Lakeside’s Johnny Crush dominated the boy’s 11-12 50 free in 23.86.
• Lakeside’s Madeline Meredith out-touched Carmel’s Meghan Christman in the girl’s 13-14 50 free 23.85 to 23.98.
• Meredith also won the girl’s 13-14 200 IM by over 4 seconds in 2:06.99.
• Fort Area Collins Swim Team’s Ballard also won back-to-back races in the boy’s 13-14 200 IM (1:55.41) and 500 free (4:39.45).