2022 Junior Pan Pacs – Day 4 Prelims Live Recap

2022 Junior Pan Pacific Championships

• August 24-27, 2022
• Mark Takai Veterans Memorial Aquatics Center
• Honolulu, Hawaii (Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time)
• Prelims 9:00 AM / Finals 5:00 PM (GMT-10)
• LCM (50m)
• Meet Central
• Psych Sheets
• Live Results
• Live Streaming
• Five main story lines – boys
• Five main story lines – girls

The 2022 Junior Pan Pacific Championships, which brings together swimmers from Australia, Canada, Japan, the United States, New Zealand, Samoa, Fiji, and Singapore, is being hosted by the U.S. in Honolulu, Hawaii. It is open to athletes aged 13-18 as of December 31st of the competition year. Each nation is limited to two athletes in the scored A final and two in the B final.

Day 4 prelims session will feature heats of the 200 IM, 50 free, and 200 breast. We will also have the slower heats of the girls’ 1500 free and the boys’ 800 free. Japan’s Mio Narita, who broke the meet record in the 400 IM on Day 2, comes in with the top qualifying of 2:11.41 in the 200 IM. On the boys’ side, Japan’s Tomoyuki Matsushita and Australia’s Joshua Collett and William Petric, are the top three seeds and the only sub-2:01 entrants.

Anna Moesch of USA tops the entry list in the girls’ 50 free with 24.92. A trio of Australians –Hannah Casey, Olivia Wunsch, and Milla Jansen– are also contenders for the title. Australia’s Flynn Southam is favored to win his third title of the meet –after the 200 free and 100 free– and is top seed in the 50 free with 22.39. USA’s Diggory Dillingham and Thomas Heilman are among those who will seek to break Australia’s hold on the freestyle events.

Japan’s Yuri Matsumoto (2:27.29), Kotomi Kato (2:27.32), and Yumeno Kusuda (2:27.49) top the psych sheet by over 2 seconds in the girls’ 200 breast. The top entrants in the boys’ race are Nicholas Mahabir from Singapore (2:12.07), Asahi Kawashima of Japan (2:13.30), USA’s Zhier Fan (2:13.87), the 100 breast champion, and William Petric of Australia (2:13.96).

Girls 200 Meter Individual Medley – Heats

• Pending WJR: 2:08.70 – Summer McIntosh, CAN (2022)
• Jr Pan Pac: 2:10.79 – Dagny Knutson, USA (2009)

A-final qualifiers:

1. Mio Narita, Japan – 2:13.59
2. Ashley McMillan, Canada – 2:14.57
3. Gracie Weyant, USA – 2:15.53
4. Misa Okuzono, Japan – 2:15.68
5. Teagan O’Dell, USA – 2:15.96
6. Ella Jansen, Canada – 2:15.96
7. Sophie Martin, Australia – 2:18.03
8. Zylekia Pratt-Smith, New Zealand – 2:19.12

The first heat of the day went to Faith Tudreu of Fiji in 2:52.42. Carol Rachmadi of Singapore earned the win in heat 2 with 2:29.43, after her teammate Ashley Ng was disqualified.

Japan’s Airi Mitsui took 4.4 seconds off her seed time to win heat 3 with 2:18.53 in front of Ashley Lim of Singapore (2:24.11) and Lanahei Connolly from the Cook Islands (2:24.76).

Heat 4 produced an exciting back half courtesy of USA’s Kennedy Noble, who came from behind to take over the lead on the breaststroke leg, and Japan’s Ayami Suzuki, who regained her lead on the free to win the heat by .03 with 2:17.84.

It was a 1-2-3 finish for Team USA in heat 5, as Gracie Weyant edged Teagan O’Dell, 2:15.53 to 2:15.96, for the win and Emily Thompson touched third in 2:17.42.

There were four empty lanes in heat 6 but it didn’t faze Ashley McMillan of Canada, who won by two body lengths over USA’s Julia Podkoscielny, 2:14.57 to 2:16.54. Canada’s Nina Mollin took third with 2:18.37.

Japan’s Mio Narita moved from fourth place to first after the backstroke, then extended her lead to almost 2 body lengths after the breaststroke. She won the final heat in 2:13.59. Teammate Misa Okuzono touched second (2:15.68) just ahead of Canada’s Ella Jansen (2:15.96).

Boys 200 Meter Individual Medley – Heats

• Jr World: 1:56.99 – Hubert Kos, HUN (2021)
• Jr Pan Pac: 1:59.51 – Chase Kalisz, USA (2012)

A-final qualifiers:

1. Maximus Williamson, USA – 2:00.90
2. Tomoyuki Matsushita, Japan – 2:01.01
3. Yuta Watanabe, Japan – 2:02.47
4. William Petric, Australia – 2:02.88
5. Penjamin Loewen, Canada – 2:03.05
6. Spencer Aurnou-Rhees, USA – 2:03.07
7. Evan Chee, Australia – 2:03.75
8. Lorne Wigginton, Canada – 2:05.13

Junhao Chan of Singapore won the first heat of boys’ 200 IM in 2:15.49. Canada’s Loic Courville-Fortin followed with a heat 2 win in 2:06.98, which was a 5.7-second drop from his seed time.

William Petric of Australia and Josh Zuchowski of USA traded leads in heat 3, with Zuchowski passing Petric on breast and Petric moving past Zuchowski in the free. Petric clocked a 2:02.88 for the heat win. Zuchowski was second in 2:03.09, while Lorne Wigginton of Canada came in third with 2:015.13.

USA’s Maximus Williamson, the silver medalist in the 400 IM, dominated the middle 100 of the race with a 29.5 back and 36.2 breast; he finished in 28.2 and won with 2:00.90, improving his seed time by half a second. Ei Kamikawabata, the 400 IM gold medalist, took second place with 2:02.70. Australia’s Joshua Collett went 2:04.09 for third.

Tomoyuki Matsushita of Japan was victorious in the last heat, touching in 2:01.01 ahead of teammate Yuta Watanabe (2:02.47). Benjamin Loewen of Canada improved his seed time by four-tenths to come in third with 2:03.05.

Girls 50 Meter Freestyle – Heats

• Jr World: 24.17 – Claire Curzan, USA (2021)
• Jr Pan Pac: 24.74 – Yolane Kukla, Australia (2010)

A-final qualifiers:

1. Milla Jansen, Australia – 25.39
2. Erin Gemmell, USA – 25.42
3. Anna Moesch, USA – 25.50
4. Hannah Casey, Australia – 25.56
5. Laura Littlejohn, New Zealand, 26.03
6. Chiok Sze Yeo, Singapore – 26.26
7. Lilly Daly, Canada – 26.28
8. Sakuya Ito, Japan, 26.29

Tia Mawi of Fiji dropped 1.24 seconds to win the first heat in 30.85. Aimi Nagaoka of Japan improved her entry time by 1.8 seconds and won heat 2 in 26.94. Australia’s Sally Vagg won heat 3 in 27.55. USA’s Berit Berglund took .2 off her seed time to edge Canada’s Mia West, 26.75 to 26.78.

Australia’s Olivia Wunsch went 25.62 to win heat 5 ahead of Laura Littlejohn of New Zealand (26.03) and Cavan Gormsley of USA (26.22). Isabella Boyd of Australia and USA’s Kayla Wilson tied for fourth with 26.32.

Erin Gemmell improved her seed time by four-tenths and won heat 6 with 25.42. Australia’s Hannah Casey (25.56) and USA’s Lily Christianson (25.72) were second and third.

Milla Jansen of Australia (25.39) eked out a win in the final heat ahead of USA’s Anna Moesch (25.50). Maggie Wanezek, also of USA, was third with 26.18.

Boys 50 Meter Freestyle – Heats

• Jr World: 21.75 – Michael Andrew, USA (2017)
• Jr Pan Pac: 22.20 – Paul Powers, USA (2014)

A-final qualifiers:

1. Diggory Dillingham, USA – 22.69
2. Kaii Winkler, USA – 22.74
3. Flynn Southam, Australia – 22.75
4. Joshua Collett, Australia – 23.36
5. Russell Loo, Singapore – 23.41
6. Ryota Yamaguchi, Japan – 23.57
7. Ryosuke Hasunuma, Japan – 23.64
8. Kale Twist, New Zealand – 23.69

Fuji’s Zion Waqainabete kicked off the heats of boys’ 50 free with a PB of 25.14 in heat 1. New Zealand’s Gus Shivnan dropped 1.1 seconds to win heat 2 with 23.74.

Thomas Heilman of USA won heat 3 in 23.05 in front of Singapore’s Russell Loo (23.41) and Japan’s Ryota Yamaguchi (23.57).

Six of the eight lanes in heat 4 were inhabited by Americans. Diggory Dillingham led a 1-2-3 sweep with 22.69. Daniel Diehl went 23.22 to clip teammate Hudson Williams (23.47).

USA’s Kaii Winkler took the final heat by .01 over Australia’s Flynn Southam, 22.74 to 22.75. Joshua Collett went 23.36 for third place.

Girls 200 Meter Breaststroke – Heats

• Jr World: 2:19.64 – Viktoria Gunes, TUR (2015)
• Jr Pan Pac: 2:25.46 – Zoe BARTEL, USA (2016)

A-final qualifiers:

1. Kotomi Kato, Japan – 2:28.35
2. Piper Enge, USA – 2:28.65
3. Yuri Matsumoto, Japan – 2:29.46
4. Gracie Weyant, USA – 2:32.26
5. Kathryn Hazle, Canada – 2:33.58
6. Julie Brousseau, Canada – 2:34.79
7. Melanie Chong, Singapore – 2:37.60
8. Isabella Johnson, Australia – 2:40.62

Yumeno Kusuda from Japan opened with a 2:29.53 win in heat 1, with USA’s Gracie Weyant (2:32.26) and Canada’s Kathryn Hazle (2:33.58) in her wake. Kotomi Kato dominated heat 2, winning with 2:28.35, a full 5.9 seconds ahead of Canada’s Nina Mollin (2:36.21) and Japan’s Yasuki Fujimoto (2:36.79).

The final heat looked like it was in the bag for Yuri Matsumoto of Japan, but 100 breast champ Piper Enge of USA powered home with a strong fourth 50 to snatch the win, 2:28.65 to 2:29.46. Enge dropped nearly half a second from her entry time. Canada’s Julie Brousseau came in third with 2:34.79.

Boys 200 Meter Breaststroke – Heats

• Jr World: 2:09.39 – Haiyang Qin, CHN (2017)
• Jr Pan Pac: 2:08.03 – Akihiro YAMAGUCHI, Japan (2012)

A-final qualifiers:

1. Yamato Okadome, Japan – 2:13.77
2. Nicholas Mahabir, Singapore – 2:13.86
3. Asahi Kawashima, Japan – 2:14.05
4. Ben Delmar, USA – 2:14.39
5. Matthew Lucky, USA – 2:16.82
6. Brayden Taivassalo, Canada – 2:17.60
7. Lorne Wigginton, Canada – 2:19.89
8. Alistair Gorgijovski, Australia – 2:20.09

The first heat featured a surprise ending, as 100 breast gold medalist Zhier Fan of USA slipped past Japan’s Riki Abe on the last 10 meters, winning 2:16.91 to 2:16.98. Canada’s Lorne Wigginton was third in the heat with 2:19.89.

Yamoto Okadome, the silver medalist behind Fan in the 100 breast, dropped three-tenths to win heat 2 in 2:13.77 in a photo finish with teammate Asahi Kawashima (2:14.05). Matthew Lucky from USA stopped the clock at 2:16.82 to place third.

Top-seeded Nicholas Mahabir of Singapore claimed the final heat, going 2:13.86. USA’s Brian Delmar went nearly a half-second faster than his seed time to come in second with 2:14.39. Canada’s Brayden Taivassalo, also half a second better than his entry time, was third in 2:17.60.

Girls 1500 Meter Freestyle – Slower Heats

• Jr World: 15:28.36 – Katie Ledecky, USA (2014)
• Jr Pan Pac: 16:08.09 – Lani PALLISTER, Australia (2018)

Top 3:

1. Jillian Cox, USA – 16:29.16
2. Misa Okuzono, Japan – 16:33.67
3. Kayla Han, USA – 16:43.13

Boys 800 Meter Freestyle – Slower Heats

• Jr World: 7:45.67 – Mack Horton, AUS (2013)
• Jr Pan Pac: 7:55.16 – Robert FINKE, USA (2016)

Top 4:

1. Riko Yamaguchi, Japan – 8:03.79
2. Bobby DiNunzio, USA – 8:06.89
3. Maki Kiriyama, Japan – 8:10.23
4. Cooper Lucas, USA – 8:10.55