Syunta Lee put on a show at the 2022 PN 14&U Long Course Championships last weekend in Washington.
The West Coast Aquatics swimmer won all six individual events he entered at the meet, throwing down a few huge personal bests that broke into the top five rankings for the boys 11-12 national age group (NAG).
Lee dropped more than five seconds off his previous best in the 400 IM final, reaching the wall in 4:49.20 to become the third-fastest NAG performer of all time. In the 200 IM, the versatile 12-year-old jumped from 19th to fifth in the all-time NAG rankings with a time of 2:15.66, taking nearly two seconds off his previous best. Lee also lowered his nation-leading mark in the 200-meter backstroke to a 2:12.56, a new best time by more than a second and a half that moves him up from 10th to fourth all-time in the NAG rankings.
Lee also posted time drops in the 100 free (57.23) and 200 free (2:03.64), the latter of which puts him 28th all-time for his NAG. Both times rank No. 2 this season among 12-year-old boys.
Fellow 12-year-old Luke Dunn of Olympic Cascade Aquatics earned a handful of runner-up finishes behind Lee, but he cruised to a 15-second victory in the 200 fly without Lee in the field. Dunn’s new personal-best time of 2:19.71 now ranks him as the second-fastest swimmer this season for his age and 51st all-time in his NAG. His second-place showings in the 100 free (59.73), 200 free (2:08.12), 400 free (4:31.56), and 200 IM (2:23.31) all represent personal bests.
Other highlights included Bella Wong winning the 50 fly with a personal-best 30.56, which moved her up to No. 2 this season among 11-year-old girls. She also placed second in the 100 fly with a 1:09.83, good for No. 10 this season for her age. She added victories in the 400 free relay, 200 free relay, and 400 medley relay with her Bellevue Club Swim Team.
Ten-year-old Brooklyn Lang of Gold’s Aquatic Club picked up six wins, each one in a personal-best time. Her 30.45 in the 50 free ranks seventh this season while her 1:16.03 in the 100 fly ranks 17th this season for her age. Lang also triumphed in the 100 free (1:08.24), 400 free (5:23.98), 50 back (36.50), and 100 back (1:18.85).
Valerie Gan of Pacific Dragons Swim Team dropped nearly three seconds from her entry time in the 100 back, clocking a 1:21.86 to become the fourth-fastest performer among 9-year-old girls this season.