2017 US Junior Nationals: Day 1 Finals Live Recap

2017 U.S. JUNIOR NATIONALS

• August 8 – 12, 2017
• East Meadow, NY (Long Island)
• Meet Central
• Meet info
• Psych sheet
• Prelims Timeline
• Live results
• Day 1 finals heat sheet

This morning, 15-year-old Carson Foster of the Mason Manta Rays put up a very impressive 1:59.18 in the 200 fly, and he’ll be battling with North Texas Nadadores’ Jack LeVant in that final tonight, along with Andrew Koustik (2:00.40) and 15-year-old Luca Urlando of DART (2:00.33). Koustik’s PR of 1:58.55 is the fastest of the field.

Dakota Luther, the sole World Champs qualifier at this meet, will be racing for the 200 fly title after going the top time in prelims with a 2:11.40.

Girls 200 Butterfly – Finals

• WJR: 2:06.29 – Suzuka Hasegawa
• Meet: 2:09.28 – Jasmine Tosky
• 13-14 NAG: 2:07.01 – Mary T. Meagher
• 15-16 NAG: 2:05.96 – Mary T. Meagher
• 17-18 NAG: 2:06.95 – Katie McLaughlin

1. Olivia Carter, Enfinity 2:09.02
2. Lindsay Looney, Metroplex 2:09.22
3. Dakota Luther, Austin Swim Club 2:09.58

Taking the 2017 U.S. Junior National title in the girls’ 200 fly was Olivia Carter of Enfinity Aquatics. Carter overtook Dakota Luther, the top seed, with a great final 50 to touch for the win at 2:09.02. She moves to #9 all-time in the 17-18 age group, just .06 ahead of Misty Hyman. Luther would also be passed at the finish by Metroplex’s Lindsay Looney, who touched at 2:09.22. The 16-year-old Looney now ranks 4th in the 15-16 age group rankings, as both Carter and Looney went faster than Jasmine Tosky’s meet record from 2010.

Luther wound up third in 2:09.58, less than a second off of her lifetime best. Luther and Carter will be teammates next fall as freshmen at the University of Georgia– that’s a lot of butterfly speed incoming for the Bulldogs.

NCAP’s Isabella Gati was 4th in 2:13.34, as the rest of the field was well back of the top three finishers.

Alex Reddington of Highlands Ranch posted a 2:13.89 to take the B final, lopping over two seconds off of her prelims time and over a second off of her entry time.

Boys 200 Butterfly – Finals

• WJR: 1:53.79 – Kristof Milak
• Meet: 1:56.54 – Andrew Seliskar
• 13-14 NAG: 1:59.02 – Michael Phelps
• 15-16 NAG: 1:54.58 – Michael Phelps
• 17-18 NAG: 1:53.93 – Michael Phelps

1. Carson Foster, Mason Manta Rays 1:58.47
2. Jack LeVant, North Texas Nadadores 1:58.64
3. Andrew Koustik, Irvine Novaquatics 1:58.77

Carson Foster gutted it out at the end to beat three competitors, the Mason 15-year-old posting a lifetime best 1:58.47 that moves him to #6 all-time in the 15-16 rankings. Foster brought three others under 1:59, led by 2nd place Jack LeVant of North Texas Nadadores (1:58.64) and Irvine Novaquatics’ Andrew Koustik (1:58.77). 15-year-old Luca Urlando busted the 1:59 mark as well, the DART swimmer touching at 1:58.93 to move to #8 in 15-16.

No other swimmer broke 2:00, but all eight A-finalists beat their prelims time in tonight’s final. Multnomah’s Van Mathias and Mason’s Jake Foster, both 16 years old, were 5th (2:00.31) and 6th (2:00.79).

Dare Rose of Scarlet Aquatics popped a 2:01.89 to take the B final, a new PR for the 14-year-old. He improves upon his 2:02.05 from the US Open just last week, and edges closer to Michael Phelps’ 200 fly NAG 13-14 record at 1:59.02.

Girls 100 Breaststroke – Finals

• WJR: 1:05.21 – Ruta Meilutyte
• Meet: 1:08.11 – Zoe Bartel
• 13-14 NAG: 1:08.09 – Amanda Beard
• 15-16 NAG: 1:07.05 – Megan Quann
• 17-18 NAG: 1:05.75 – Kasey Carlson

1. Zoie Hartman, Crow Canyon 1:08.65
2. Claire Donan, Triton Swimming 1:09.98
3. Kate Douglass, Chelsea Piers 1:10.05

Zoie Hartman of Crow Canyon torched the field on the 2nd 50 of this race, propelling herself to a big new personal best at 1:08.65. That time makes her the 8th-best performer ever in the 15-16 age group, just .02 ahead of Nikol Popov, a freshman at Tennessee who hails from California.

Youth reigned in this top three, with 15-year-olds Claire Donan and Kate Douglass touching 2nd and 3rd. Donan of Triton Swimming broke 1:10 for 2nd at 1:09.98, while Douglass of Chelsea Piers was 3rd at 1:10.05, just behind Donan. They now rank T-30th and 32nd, respectively, in the 15-16 age group. Like in the boys’ 200 fly final, all 8 A-finalists improved upon their morning times.

Taking the B final was Waves Bloomington’s Noelle Peplowski at 1:11.87, though Ohio State Swim Club’s Janessa Mathews was faster at 1:11.29 to win the C final.

Boys 100 Breaststroke – Finals

• WJR: 59.23 – Nicolo Martinenghi
• Meet: 1:00.08 – Michael Andrew
• 13-14 NAG: 1:03.32 – Reece Whitley
• 15-16 NAG: 1:00.68 – Michael Andrew
• 17-18 NAG: 59.82 – Michael Andrew

1. Daniel Roy, King Aquatic Club 1:01.42
2. Zane Backes, Team Rebel Aquatics 1:02.00
3. Hank Poppe, Stanford 1:02.30

In Reece Whitley’s absence, it was an easy win for King Aquatic Club’s Daniel Roy. The 200 breast specialist shot out of the turn and came back hard, blowing past the field to win the race at 1:01.42, taking three tenths off of his seed time. The 17-year-old moves up to #8 all-time in the 17-18 rankings for this event. Zane Backes of Team Rebel Aquatics went from a 1:03.08 seed time to a 1:02.00 finish tonight for 2nd, as he moves to #17 in the 17-18 age group with that time. Hank Poppe of Stanford was close behind at 1:02.30 for third.

Pulling off an impressive double, Jake Foster was back to racing shortly after his 200 fly A final to post a 1:02.38 for 4th in the A final here in the 100 breast. Foster overtakes Kevin Cordes for 8th in the 15-16 all-time rankings. Portland Aquatic Club’s Josh Bottelberghe and Ohio State Swim Club’s Jason Mathews were also under 1:03 at 1:02.84 and 1:02.97, respectively.

It was a 1:03.04 for AJ Bornstein of Ridgefield Aquatics to take the B final.

Girls 800 Freestyle – Timed Final

• WJR: 8:11.00 – Katie Ledecky
• Meet: 8:30.84 – G Ryan
• 13-14 NAG: 8:28.54 – Becca Mann
• 15-16 NAG: 8:13.86 – Katie Ledecky
• 17-18 NAG: 8:06.68 – Katie Ledecky

1. Erica Sullivan, Sandpipers of NV 8:33.49
2. Taylor Ault, La Mirada Armada 8:40.12
3. Madelyn Donohoe, The Fish 8:41.54

Erica Sullivan of Sandpipers of Nevada had the big win here, going 8:33.49 to touch as the only finisher under 8:40. Sullivan improved upon her lifetime best by almost a full second from her US Open swim last week. She now ranks 14th all-time in the 15-16 age group. Taylor Ault of La Mirada Armada nearly pushed past 8:40, settling at 8:40.12.

15-year-old Madelyn Donohoe of The Fish went 8:41.54 to move up to #57 in the 15-16 age group. NBAC’s Easop Lee was 4th at 8:42.41, with Lakeside Aquatic Club’s Lauren Pitzer 5th at 8:43.78, both faster than their entry times.

Boys 1500 Freestyle – Timed Final

• WJR: 14:48.76 – Mack Horton
• Meet: 15:16.62 – Johannes Calloni
• 13-14 NAG: 15:31.03 – Jesse Vassallo
• 15-16 NAG: 15:03.91 – Bobby Hackett
• 17-18 NAG: 14:45.29 – Larsen Jensen

1. Johannes Calloni, Scarlet Aquatics 15:18.44
2. Lleyton Plattel, Pleasanton Seahawks 15:29.71
3. Brennan Gravely, Sandpipers of Nevada 15:29.86

Johannes Calloni eviscerated the field, opening up a 10 second lead and never looking back. The swimmer from Scarlet Aquatics posted a 15:18.44 to take the win by more than ten seconds, coming close to his PR and meet record from last summer. Calloni will swim for Stanford in the fall as a freshman.

The next four finishers were all part of the 15-16 age group. Lleyton Plattel, who just turned 15 this summer, touched 2nd in a great race with Brennan Gravely of Sandpipers of NV. Plattel posted a PR 15:29.71, moving to #25 in the 15-16 age group– he posted the #2 time in the 13-14 age group at Worlds Trials at 15:35.36, so the youngster continues to progress rapidly. Gravely, 16, went 15:29.86 to put himself at 27th in the 15-16 age group.

Mission Viejo’s Noah Brune was 15:37.60 for a PR, while Sandpipers’ Joseph Gutierrez was 5th in 15:39.99. Brune is 15 and Gutierrez is 16.