2022 Summer Junior Nationals: Day 3 Prelims Live Recap

2022 SPEEDO JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS

• August 1 to 5, 2022
• William Woollett Jr. Aquatics Center, Irvine, California
• Long Course Meters (50m)
• Meet Central
• Event Page
• Psych Sheets
• Live Stream (USA Swimming)
• Live Results (OMEGA) (also can be found on MeetMobile)

WEDNESDAY PRELIMS HEAT SHEET

The 3rd day of the 2022 Summer Junior Nationals is here, and with it we have prelims of the 400 free, 100 fly, and 200 back. Please note: the fastest 5 heats of the women’s and men’s 400 freestyles will be swum first this morning, there will be a ‘B’ flight at the end of the prelims session for the rest of the heats. That means that we won’t officially know who has qualified for finals in the 400 free until the ‘B’ flight concludes.

Speaking of the 400 free, Jillian Cox is set to be back in action after her dominant performance in the 800 free on Monday night. Cox enters the meet as the top seed in the 400 by nearly 3 seconds. Similarly, men’s 1500 free champion from Monday Matthew Chai leads the entrants in the men’s 400 free. That race will also contain 200 fly champion Aaron Shackell, as well as 100 free runner-up Henry McFadden, who broke 50 seconds for the first time in the 100 last night.

15-year-old Alex Shackell will be looking to complete her sweep of the women’s fly events after winning the 200 fly decisively on Monday night. Shackell enters as the top seed, though she has Bailey Hartman right on her heels in terms of personal best times.

After becoming the first 15-year-old in American history to break 50 seconds in the LCM 100 free last night, 100 free champion and 200 fly runner-up Thomas Heilman enters as the top seed in the men’s 100 fly today. Heilman’s personal best of 52.87 puts him within half a second of the 15-16 National Age Group Record, which is held by Luca Urlando.

JoJo Ramey enters the meet under the meet record time in the women’s 200 back, while Teagan O’Dell is sitting just off of it. Ramey swam a 2:08.90 last summer in the event, and although she’s raced well in her LCM freestyle in 2022, her fastest 200 back of the year only comes in at 2:10.64.

Josh Zuchowski comes in as the only swimmer in the men’s 200 back to have been under 2:00 before.

GIRLS 400 FREESTYLE – PRELIMS

• World Junior Record: 3:58.37, Katie Ledecky (USA) – 2014
• Meet Record: 4:07.26, Gillian Ryan (2012)
• 13-14 NAG: 4:07.15, Sippy Woodhead (1978)
• 15-16 NAG: 3:59.82, Katie Ledecky (2013)
• 17-18 NAG: 3:58.37, Katie Ledecky (2014)

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Jillian Cox – 4:12.23
2. Hayden Miller – 4:12.44
3. Kathryn Hazle – 4:13.46
4. Kate Hurst – 4:15.49
5. Katie McCarthy – 4:18.21
6. Sophia Knapp – 4:18.51
7. Chloe Kim – 4:18.61
8. Kayla Wilson – 4:19.09

After a dominant performance in the 800 free on Monday night, Jillian Cox had a solid morning swim to get herself lane 4 for tonight’s final. Cox was just off her personal best of 4:10.12, but she’s set herself up very nicely to take a run at it tonight.

Hayden Miller, Kathryn Hazle, and Kate Hurst all had great swims this morning to safely land themselves in the top 8. All 3 swimmers posted lifetime bests, with Miller leading the way at 4:12.44. Hazle and Hurst both dropped well over 2 seconds from their previous bests, giving them a nice boost of momentum going into tonight.

It’s 100 free champion Kayla Wilson that will be watching the last remaining heat of 400 frees closely this morning. Wilson clocked a 4:19.09 this morning, which puts her 8th – for now. The swim was a bit off Wilson’s personal best of 4:15.65

BOYS 400 FREESTYLE – PRELIMS

• World Junior Record: 3:44.60, Mack Horton (AUS) – 2014
• Meet Record: 3:51.44, Alex Zettle (2017)
• 13-14 NAG: 3:57.61, Evan Pinion (2009)
• 15-16 NAG: 3:50.68, Larsen Jensen (2002)
• 17-18 NAG: 3:46.08, Larsen Jensen (2004)

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Norvin Clontz – 3:53.64
2. Henry McFadden – 3:55.38
3. Aaron Shackell – 3:55.86
4. Matthew Chai – 3:55.98
5. Sean Green – 3:56.07
6. Jack Luken – 3:56.21
7. Gary Jones – 3:58.46
8. Oliver Rowe – 3:58.50

That being said, 15-year-old Norvin Clontz out of SwimMAC Carolina has the top seed for tonight locked up all but certainly. Clontz rocketed to a huge new personal best this morning, swimming a 3:53.64 to take 2.53 seconds off his previous best. He put together a very nice race, splitting 56.33 on the first 100, then 59.14, 59.37, and 58.80 on the remaining 100s.

Jersey Wahoos 16-year-old Henry McFadden is proving he’s more than just a sprinter. After finishing 2nd in the 100 free last night and breaking 50 seconds for the first time in his career, McFadden posted a new lifetime best by 2 seconds in the 400 this morning. Despite clearly having the speed to take the race out fast, McFadden swam a consistent race, splitting 56.19, 59.71, 59.86, and 59.62 respectively by 100.

Carmel Swim Club’s Aaron Shackell, the 200 fly champion from Monday night, also dropped 2 seconds from his personal best, taking 3rd in 3:55.86. Long Island Aquatic Club’s Sean Green and Gold Medal Swim Club’s Jack Luken both had massive swims this morning as well.

GIRLS 100 BUTTERFLY – PRELIMS

• World Junior Record: 56.43, Claire Curzan (USA) – 2021
• Meet Record: 58.59, Dakota Luther (2017)
• 13-14 NAG: 58.61, Claire Curzan (2019)
• 15-16 NAG: 56.20, Claire Curzan (2021)
• 17-18 NAG: 55.66, Torri Huske (2021)

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Annika Parkhe – 58.71
2. Alex Shackell – 59.16
3. Gigi Johnson – 1:00.19
4. Elizabeth Tilt – 1:00.23
5. Ella Jablonski – 1:00.35
6. Sydney Lu – 1:00.46
7. Edie Simecek – 1:00.55
8. Anna Boemer – 1:00.57

Patriot Aquatic Club’s Annika Parkhe had a incredible race this morning, blasting a huge new personal best of 58.71. She went head-to-head with Carmel Swim Club 15-year-old Alex Shackell, getting out to the early lead. Shackell closed the gap a bit on the 2nd 50, but Parkhe got her hands on the wall first. Coincidentally, Parkhe has now risen to #8 all-time in the 15-16 girls rankings, just ahead of Shackell.

The #2 and #3 seeds coming into the meet both missed out on qualifying for the ‘A’ final. #2 seed Bailey Hartman (58.79) swam a 1:00.95 this morning, taking 13th. Campbell Stoll, the #3 seed, clocked a 1:00.58, taking 9th.

12-year-old Audrey Derivaux out of Jersey Wahoos had yet another fantastic swim, clocking a 1:01.88 to take half a second off her previous best. Derivaux finished 23rd this morning, making it into the ‘C’ final. Additionally, her swim this morning makes her the #2 11-12 girl all time and puts her just 0.13 seconds off Cassidy Bayer‘s 11-12 NAG of 1:01.75.

BOYS 100 BUTTERFLY – PRELIMS

• World Junior Record: 50.62, Kristof Milak (HUN) – 2017
• Meet Record: 52.57, Michael Andrew (2015)
• 13-14 NAG: 53.27, Thomas Heilman (2021)
• 15-16 NAG: 52.40, Luca Urlando (2018)
• 17-18 NAG: 51.10, Michael Phelps (2003)

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Bryce Halterman – 53.11
2. Scotty Buff – 53.19
3. Thomas Heilman – 53.36
4. David Schmitt – 53.96
5. Connor Foote – 54.11
6. Nate Germonprez – 54.25
7. Zachary Tamusaitis – 54.26
8. Conor McKenna – 54.29

After a whopping 20 heats of the men’s 100 fly, Bryce Halterman took the top seed for tonight’s final, clipping his personal best time. Right behind Halterman was Scotty Buff, who took 0.75 seconds off his personal best to take the #2 seed for tonight.

100 free champion Thomas Heilman had a solid morning swim, posting a 53.36, which comes in half a second off his personal best. David Schmitt dropped nearly a full second off his time to qualify 4th for the ‘A’ final.

Jacob Wimberly was swimming in a yards seeded heat and very nearly made it into the ‘A’ final, taking 9th this morning with a 54.31.

GIRLS 200 BACKSTROKE – PRELIMS

• World Junior Record: 2:03.35, Regan Smith (USA) – 2019
• Meet Record: 2:09.04, Kylie Stewart (2013)
• 13-14 NAG: 2:09.16, Missy Franklin (2009)
• 15-16 NAG: 2:05.10, Missy Franklin (2011)
• 17-18 NAG: 2:03.35, Regan Smith (2019)

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. JoJo Ramey – 2:11.77
2. Teagan O’Dell – 2:12.37
3. Catie Choate – 2:13.16
4. Sarah Rodrigues – 2:13.99
5. Lilla Bognar – 2:14.40
6. Finley Anderson – 2:14.74
7. Maggie Wanezek – 2:14.89 (Tie)
8. Erica Jaffe – 2:14.89 (Tie)

In the final heat, top seed JoJo Ramey clocked a 2:11.77 to establish the top time of the morning and give her lane 4 for tonight. Ramey was out quick this morning, swimming a 1:03.67 on the first 100. She faded a bit down the stretch, splitting 33.95 and 34.15 on the final pair of 50s.

Teagan O’Dell pulled away on the back half of the 2nd-to-last heat, cruising into the wall in 2:12.37. That swam was the top time of the morning at the time, but Ramey would come in and blow it away in the next and final heat.

Erica Jaffe swam a personal best by nearly a second to narrolwy qualify for the ‘A’ final. Jaffe swam a 2:14.89 to tie for 7th with Maggie Wanezek.

12-year-old Audrey Derivaux was back in action here as well, qualifying for the ‘C’ final with a 2:16.46.

BOYS 200 BACKSTROKE – PRELIMS

• World Junior Record: 1:55.14, Kliment Kolesnikov (RUS) – 2017
• Meet Record: 1:58.83, Alex Katz (2013)
• 13-14 NAG: 2:00.28, Keaton Jones (2019)
• 15-16 NAG: 1:57.03, Aaron Peirsol (200)
• 17-18 NAG: 1:55.15, Aaron Peirsol (2002)

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Josh Zuchowski– 1:59.81
2. Caleb Maldari– 2:00.83
3. Will Modglin– 2:01.75
4. Brandon Miller– 2:01.90
5. Humberto Najera– 2:02.93
6. Jonny Marshall- 2:03.39
7. Tommy Hagar- 2:03.59
8. Luigi Franco– 2:03.65

Only one boy dipped under the 2:00 mark this morning as top seed Josh Zuchowski swam a 1:59.81 in the final heat. Zuchowski was the only boy with a seed time under the 2:00 as well. Zuchowski was out fast flipping in a 57.47 at the 100 mark. That was the fastest 100 of the field by over a second as only one other swimmer swam a sub-59 first 100.

In the second to last heat, second seed Will Modglin had a solid swim of 2:01.75 winning his heat by almost two seconds.

Heat 12 was a close heat as Caleb Maldari swam a 2:00.83 finishing ahead of Brandon Miller and Humberto Najera. All three swimmers were separated by about a second each.

Luigi Franco earned a spot in the A final after being the 25th seed and not swimming in any of the circle-seeded heats this morning.