2014 US Junior National Championships: Day 5 Finals Live Recap

2014 US JUNIOR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS – DAY 5 – FINALS

• Live Results 0r Meet Mobile: 2014 Speedo Junior National Championships
• Live Stream (Available Once Meet Starts)
• Wednesday, July 30 – Sunday, August 3
• Irvine, CA – William Woollett, Jr. Aquatic Center
• Prelims 9AM/Finals 6PM Pacific Time
• Sunday FINALS Heat Sheet
• Sunday FINALS Timeline
• Psych Sheets

After four long days in Irvine, only three individual events remain of the 2014 US Junior National Championships. The men’s and women’s 200 IM, the men’s and women’s 50 freestyle, and then the remaining distance events: the women’s 1500 freestyle and the men’s 800 freestyle.

Tonight we will see the event that several die hard fans have been waiting for all week: Allie Szekley’s 200 IM. In 2012, she was the stud breaststroker that came out of the weeds at Olympic Trials in Omaha. This week she blew through the 200 backstroke to win and earn the Junior National title. It is this writers opinion that Szekely could be a future Olympic swimmer in this event. This morning was a strong swim for her (2:15.80), and if she can break 40 seconds in the 50 breaststroke, it could be a great swim. I’m hoping to see a 2:13 from her tonight.

Curtis Orgren is working towards winning his second IM event of the week after winning the 400 IM earlier. He had the fastest swim this morning at 2:02.64. Watch for Michael Andrew to have a strong swim tonight. He is fresh off the excitement of his first junior national title last night in the 100 meter backstroke.

Amy Bilquist has been having a fantastic season. She went 22.1 and 48.9 to win the 50 and 100 yard freestyles at the Indiana High School State Championships. The Santa Clara Grand Prix was a breakthrough long course meet for her, where she qualified for finals in several events and went head-to-head with Missy Franklin in the 100 meter backstroke. This meet she has continued to impress with two junior national titles in the women’s 100 freestyle and 100 backstroke. Tonight she is the top seed in the women’s 50 freestyle with her time of 25.49. She is chasing down Simone Manuel as the next young American sprint star.

Caeleb Dressel is dipping his toes in the water to prepare for nationals next week. He had the fastest swim of the morning with a 22.62. The next fastest swimmers were 23 low. Today was the first day we saw several of the ELITE age group swimmers. They are getting one swim in with the 50 freestyle before senior nationals begin on wednesday.

 Amanda Nunan had the fastest time in the women’s 1500 freestyle from the afternoon session at 16:36.77. Elizabeth Stinson was second at 16:38.21 and Moriah Simonds was third at 16:42.83. Sierra Schmidt has been fast all week and she is the favorite to win tongiht. Madison Homovich is another swimmer that has lit it up this week. Watch for her to challenge Schmidt in the final heat.

Sam Magnan had the fastest time in the men’s 800 freestyle afternoon heats with his time of 8:06.04. Adam Linker was second at 8:09.72 and Taylor Abbott was third at 8:11.02. 15 year-old Sean Grieshop is the favorite by seed time to win the men’s 800 freestyle tonight. He has looked good all weekend, but expect a big performance from Townley Haas. His range is incredible in the freestyles.

WOMEN’S 200 IM – FINALS

• 2013 US Junior National Champion: 2:13.66 – Ella Eastin
• Meet Record: 2:12.73 – Missy Franklin – 2009
• 17-18 NAG Record: 2:10.02 – Elizabeth Pelton – 2011
• 15-16 NAG Record: 2:10.41 – Katie Hoff – 2005
• 13-14 NAG Record: 2:12.73 – Missy Franklin – 2009
• Time to make the 2013 US Junior National Team (#6 Nationally At Selection Meets): 2:15.25 – Becca Mann

Kim Williams of Bellevue Swim Club won the final of the women’s 200 IM with her time of 2:14.58. She won the women’s 400 IM earlier in the week. Allie Szekely finished second with her time of 2:15.98. She was even with Williams at the wall, but couldn’t hang on to Williams towards the end of the swim. Ruby Martin finished third at 2:16.73. Liz Zeiger finished fourth at 2:17.07.

Lauren Barber finished fifth at 2:17.19, followed by Leah Stevens at 2:17.90.

Miranda Tucker and Heidi Miller rounded out the top 8 at 2:18.07 and 2:19.55.

Savannah Faulconer won the B-final of the women’s 200 IM with her time of 2:18.03. Mckenna Debever finished second at 2:18.30.

Cary Cummings from Condor Swim Club won the c-final with her time of 2:18.03, dropping close to two seconds from her morning swim.

MEN’S 200 IM – FINALS

• 2013 US Junior National Champion: 2:00.21 – Andrew Seliskar
• Meet Record: 2:00.07 – Kyle Whitaker – 2009
• 17-18 NAG Record: 1:55.94 – Michael Phelps, 2003
• 15-16 NAG Record: 1:59.84 – Andrew Seliskar, 2013
• 13-14 NAG Record: 2:04.13 – Michael Andrew, 2014
• Time to make the 2013 US Junior National Team (#6 Nationally At Selection Meets): 2:03.54 – Matthew Josa

Curtis Ogren followed Kim Williams by sweeping the men’s IM events. Ogren, from Palo Alto Stanford, won with his time of 2:01.95. Abraham Devine finished second with his time of 2:02.74. That is a huge drop for him from his morning swim. Michael Andrew was third at 2:03.53. Patrick Mulcare was fourth at 2:03.71.

Anthony Marcantonio finished in fifth at 2:04.15, followed by Austin Van Overdam in sixth at 2:04.90.

Alexander Lebed and Jared Butler rounded out the top 8 of the men’s 200 IM at 2:05.01 and 2:05.07.

Justin Ress won the B-final with his time of 2:03.97. Ross Palazzo was second with a 2:04.52.

Sam Stewart won the C-final with his time of 2:04.89.

WOMEN’S 1500 Freestyle – FINAL HEAT

• 2013 US Junior National Champion: 16:24.44 – Danielle Valley
• Meet Record: 16:14.67 – Gillian Ryan – 2012
• 17-18 NAG Record: 15:34.23 – Katie Ledecky – 2014
• 15-16 NAG Record: 15:36.53 – Katie Ledecky – 2013
• 13-14 NAG Record: 16:11.98 – Becca Mann – 2012
• Time to make the 2013 US Junior National Team (#6 Nationally At Selection Meets): N/A

Sierra Schmidt swum to a time of 16:24.09 to earn her third junior national title of the week. Four swimmers in from the final heat got to the wall ahead of the leading time from the afternoon distance session. Madison Homovish finished second with her time of 16:32.95. Kendall Brent finished third at 16:33.87. Gabrielle Kopenski was the final swimmer under the fastest time from the afternoon session. She finished fourth at 16:36.77.

Amanda Nunan had the fastest afternoon session time of 16:36.77. That time was enough to push her into fifth place. Elizabeth Stinson finished sixth at 16:38.21.

Moriah Simonds and Cailley Silbert rounded out the top 8 of the women’s 1500 freestyle at 16:42.83 and 16:43.58.

WOMEN’S 50 Freestyle – FINALS

• 2013 US Junior National Champion: 25.27 – Abbey Weitzeil
• Meet Record: 25.23 – Missy Franklin – 2009
• 17-18 NAG Record: 25.00 – Kara Lynn Joyce (2004) – Abbey Weitzeil (2014)
• 15-16 NAG Record: 24.80 – Simone Manuel – 2013
• 13-14 NAG Record: 25.23 – Missy Franklin – 2009
• Time to make the 2013 US Junior National Team (#6 Nationally At Selection Meets): 25.86 – Kaitlyn Albertoli 

Amy Bilquist completes her triple, winning her third event of the meet. Not only did she win three events this week, she defended her top seed in three different events this week. That is not easy to do. She won the 50 freestyle junior national title with her time of 25.28. She missed Missy Franklin’s meet record by .05 seconds. Lauren Pitzer finished second at 25.68. Bilquist’s teammate from Carmel Swim Club, Veronica Burchill, finished third with her time of 25.71. Katrina Kanopka was fourth at 25.75.

Finishing in fifth was Natalie Labonge at 25.82, followed by Kasey Schmidt at 25.89 for sixth.

Stanzi Moseley and Ashton Ellzey rounded out the tip 8 of the women’s 50 freestyle at 26.01 and 26.33.

Marta Ciesla won the B-final with her time of 25.83, followed by Janet Hu at 25.91.

Kaitlyn Albertoli won the C-final at 26.07.

MEN’S 50 Freestyle – FINALS

• 2013 US Junior National Champion: 22.32 – Santo Condorelli 
• Meet Record: 22.13 – Vlad Morozov – 2010
• 17-18 NAG Record: 22.13 – Vlad Morozov – 2010
• 15-16 NAG Record: 22.39 – Caeleb Dressel – 2013
• 13-14 NAG Record:  23.19 – Michael Andrew – 2014
• Time to make the 2013 US Junior National Team (#6 Nationally At Selection Meets): 23.12 – Connor Black

Caeleb Dressel won the men’s 50 freestyle with a body length against a group of the top age group sprinters in the country. With his winning time of 22.36, he will be a serious contender next week in this event. James Jones finished second with the third fastest 15-16 50 freestyle in USA Swimming history. He touched the wall at 23.04. Patrick Park and Joshua Romany were third and fourth, separated by .01 at 23.07 and 23.08.

Cole Cogswell finished fifth at 23.13, followed by Tate Jackson at 23.18 for sixth.

Scott Johnson was seventh with his time of 23.26. A scratch from Indiana University Swim Team’s relay star, Blake Pieroni, bumped Michael Andrew into the final heat of the men’s 50 freestyle. Andrew finished 8th at 23.27.

Connor Stirling won the B-final of the men’s 50 freestyle at 23.24. Matt McHugh finished second at 23.26. There was a three way tie for fifth in this heat at 23.43.

Gage Kohner won the B-final of the men’s 50 freestyle at 23.26.

MEN’S 800 Freestyle – FINAL HEAT

• 2013 US Junior National Champion: 8:04.77 – Alexander Katz
• Meet Record: 8:01.75 – Chad La Tourette – 2006
• 17-18 NAG Record: 7:48.09 – Larsen Jensen – 2003
• 15-16 NAG Record: 7:52.05 – Larsen Jensen – 2002
• 13-14 NAG Record: 8:08.75 – Evan Pinion – 2009
• Time to make the 2013 US Junior National Team (#6 Nationally At Selection Meets): N/A

Townley Haas narrowly missed the 800 freestyle meet record, a trend he has kept up with all week. If my math is correct, he has missed the records in the 200, 400, and 800 by .20 seconds if you add them all together. That will keep you up at night!

Let’s look past the records and focus on what Haas has done tonight by winning this event. This is fourth junior national title of the week… FOURTH!!! That is insane. He won the 100, 200, 400, and 800 freestyles this week. He touched the wall for the win tonight at 8:01.82.

Sean Grieshop finished second with his time of 8:03.14. Grant Schenk was the final swimmer to beat the top time from the afternoon, posting a 8:06.03.

Sam Magnan posted a fast time this afternoon which put the pressure on the final heat tonight. He finishes fourth by the narrowest of margins with his time of 8:06.04. Finishing in fifth was Cody Bekemeyer at 8:06.86.

Rounding out the top 8 of the men’s 800 freestyle was Ian Rainey and Adam Linker at 8:07.28 and 8:09.72.

WOMEN’S 4×100 Medley Relay – TIMED FINALS

• 2013 US Junior National Champion: 4:10.32 – SwimMAC Carolina
• Meet Record: 4:08.67 – Aquajets Swim Team – 2009
• 15-16 NAG Record: 4:11.39 – Aquajets Swim Team – 2013
• 17-18 NAG Record: 4:12.78 – Carmel Swim Club – 2009
• 15-18 NAG Record: 4:08.67 – Aquajets Swim Team – 2009

The relay team of Stephanie Nelson, Maija Nelson, Caitlin Casazza, and Nora McCullagh form SwimMAC Carolina won the women’s 4×100 medley relay with their time of 4:10.73. Spartaquatics finished second at 4:11.97. Carmel Swim Club finished third with their time of 4:13.53, and King Aquatic Club was fourth at 4:13.92.

MEN’s 4×100 Medley Relay – TIMED FINALS

• 2013 US Junior National Champion: 3:46.23 – Nation’s Capital Swim Club
• Meet Record: 3:46.23 – Nation’s Capital Swim Team – 2013
• 15-16 NAG Record: 3:46.23 – Nation’s Capital Swim Club – 2013 
• 17-18 NAG Record: 3:45.49 – SwimMAC Carolina – 2013 
• 15-18 NAG Record: 3:45.49 – SwimMAC Carolina – 2013 

Palo Alto Stanford Aquatics broke the meet record with their time from heat 2 of 3:45.86. The team of Willy Lee, Curtis Ogren, Andrew Liang, and Albert Gwo beat Nation’s Capital Swim Team’s meet record from last year of 3:46.23.

Terrapins Swim Team finished second at 3:46.94, followed by Indiana University Swim Team at 3:47.16 and Nation’s Capital Swim Club with their time of 3:47.21.

Madison Homovich was the women’s high point award winner and Townley Haas was the men’s high point award winner.

For combined team scores, SwimMAC Carolina finished in third with 187 points. Carmel Swim Club finished second with 290 points, and Palo Alto Stanford Aquatics won with 305 points.

Palo Alto won the men’s team race, and Carmel Swimming won the women’s team race. It is interesting to note that Carmel Swim Club did not have any males that scored this week. Their combined team score of 290 is the same as their women’s team score of 290.