2024 GREENSBORO SPRING SECTIONALS
- March 7-10, 2024
- Greensboro, NC
- LCM (50 meters)
- Meet Mobile “2024 Speedo ESSZ Spring SC Championships”
- Day 1 Recap
Highlighting night 2 of Greensboro Sectionals was 16 year old Eliza Wallace of Mecklenburg Swim Association. Wallace swam a 1:09.48 in finals to earn her first Olympic Trials cut. The Trials cut stands at a 1:10.29. Wallace’s previous best was a 1:10.45 which she swam in the middle of January 2024. 13 year old Karina Plaza finished behind Wallace as Plaza touched in a 1:11.13. Plaza is now the #39 13-14 100 breaststroker of all-time. Plaza had a huge best time as her previous best was a 1:15.15 from July 2023.
Norvin Clontz also highlighted the night as he swam a 1:51.49 in the men’s 200 free. Clontz was just off his best time of a 1:51.28 that he swam to finish 11th at Summer Junior Nationals. Jack Haywood was 2nd in a 1:52.21. Clontz heads to Cal for 2025 while Haywood is headed to Kentucky this fall.
32 year old Jorge Murillo won the men’s 100 breast in a 1:01.90. That was notably faster than he swam at 2024 Worlds last month as he represented Colombia in Doha. In Doha, Murilio swam a 1:02.44 for 35th in prelims. Grayson Nye touched 2nd tonight in a 1:02.97, a best time by 0.13 seconds.
Tennessee commit for 2025 Nicole Zettel won the women’s 400 IM by almost ten seconds as she touched in a 4:51.96, just off her best of a 4:49.95 that she swam in July 2022. Tonight’s swim was her 2nd fastest swim ever. Shaelyn Shields touched 2nd in a 5:01.68.
After finishing 3rd in the 100 fly at the ASUN Championships just two weeks ago, Queens University’s Yannick Plasil swam to a win in the LCM version of the event touching in a 53.83. Plasil touched ahead of UNC-Wilmington’s David Fitch who finished in a 54.26, a lifetime best by almost two seconds as his previous best was a 56.10.
The women’s 100 fly was a title battle between Caroline Mallard and Cameron Snowden. 16 year old Mallard won in a 1:00.68 touching just ahead of Snowden who finished in a 1:00.87. Mallard’s previous best time was a 1:01.24 that she just swam in January. She has almost dropped a whole second in the last year as she swam a 1:01.57 in May 2023. Snowden dropped from her previous best of a 1:01.51.
16 year old Meredith Whelehan won the 200 free in a 2:03.49. Her best time stands at a 2:01.26 from July 2022. Whelehan is committed to Tennessee for 2025. Isabel Wolk finished 2nd in a 2:04.51, faster than her previous best of a 2:04.87 from NCSAs last summer.
NC State commit Hudson DeGroote blasted a personal best time in the 400 IM in prelims with a 4:21.00 and swam a 4:22.59 at night. Both times were faster than his old best of a 4:26.06 from July 2023. Frederick Kline finished 2nd in a 4:23.91, faster than his old best of a 4:27.62.
Congrats to Eliza!
Worth noting both Hudson DeGroote’s & Frederick Klein’s (last name is misspelled above) 400 IM times are their first Olympic Trials cuts as well!