2022 Summer Junior Nationals: Day 5 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)

FRIDAY PRELIMS HEAT SHEET

The final day of the 2022 Summer Junior National Championship in Irvine, CA is here. This morning’s prelims session will be a short one, featuring just the 200 IM and 50 free. Today will also feature timed finals of the boys 800 free and girls 1500 free, the fastest heat of which will be swum with finals, as per usual protocol. The early heats will kick off at 2:05 PM local timed and will be swum slowest to fastest.

The boys 50 free ought to be a fun race today. Bend Swim Club 17-year-old Diggory Dillingham will be making an appearance, coming in as the top seed with his speedy personal best of 22.48. Dillingham swam the 100 free earlier in the meet, but took 59th in prelims with a 52.09, finishing well outside what it took to qualify for finals. However. he’s definitively a better 50 freestyler, so we’ll see what he has in store this morning.

The 50 free also feature Purdue’s Idris Muhammad, swimming for Dynamo Swim Club. Muhmmad anchored the 200 free relay in a blistering 22.26 earlier in the week, so we’ll definitely be keeping an eye on him here. 15-year-old Thomas Heilman (Cavalier Aquatics) comes in as the #2 seed at 22.89. Heilman has swum well this week, having won the boys 100 free and taken 2nd in the 200 free, establishing new lifetime bests in both. He’s hidden in heat 12 of 20, but Jersey Wahoos 16-year-old Henry McFadden is another swimmer to watch out for. The 200 free champion last night and 100 free runner-up earlier in the week, McFadden has been swimming out of his mind this week. he comes in at 23.83, a time which he should have no issue bettering, given the 49.72 he swam in the 100 free this week.

The women’s 50 free has Upper Main Line Y’s Alexa Fulton (17) leading the entrants. Fulton has been 25.39, coming in just 0.01 seconds ahead of Irish Aquatics 16-year-old Lily Christianson. There are 12 girls in the field entered under 26 seconds, sizing this up to be a very deep event.

Boys 400 IM champion Diego Nosack, a 17-year-old out of Tualatin Hills Swim Club, enters as the #3 seed in the boys 200 IM today. He comes in roughly a second behind Inspire Swim Team 17-year-old Nate Germonprez and Dynamo Swim Club 18-year-old Owen McDonald, both of whom are tied for the #1 seed at 2:02.45. Foothills Swim Team 17-year-old Chase Mueller has been swimming exceptionally well this week, and we’ll be looking for him in this event as well. Zionsville Swim Club 18-year-old Will Modglin broke the meet record in the 100 back last night, and will be live in the 200 IM today as well.

Unattached Mission Viejo 18-year-old Justina Kozan only showed up to the meet yesterday, taking 2nd in the girls 200 free. She comes into the 200 IM today as the top seed, entering as the only swimmer under 2:12.

GIRLS 200 IM – PRELIMS

• World Junior Record: 2:08.70, Summer McIntosh (CAN) – 2022
• Meet Record: 2:12.32, Ella Eastin (2015)
• 13-14 NAG: 2:12.53, Teagan O’Dell (2021)
• 15-16 NAG: 2:08.91, Leah Hayes (2022)
• 17-18 NAG: 2:09.01, Alex Walsh (2019)

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Justina Kozan – 2:16.83
2. Emily Thompson – 2:17.42
3. Emily Brown – 2:17.48
4. Teagan O’Dell – 2:18.08
5. Camden Doane – 2:18.25
6. Katie McCarthy – 2:18.35
7. Elle Scott – 2:18.50
8. Nicole Frank Rodriguez – 2:18.55

King Aquatic Club 16-year-old Camden Doane had a phenomenal race in heat 8, blowing away her previous best of 2:20.18, clocking a 2:18.25. That time would stand as the fastest of the morning all the way until heat 12 of 13, when Irvine Novaquatics’ Teagan O’Dell clocked a 2:18.08. It didn’t appear as though O’Dell would be under Doane’s mark coming off the 150m turn, but she came home in a sizzling 32.06.

The final heat was by far the fastest this morning, featuring the 3 fastest times of the morning. Leading the way was top seed Justina Kozan, who is currently unattached out of Mission Viejo Nadadores. Kozan took 2nd in the 200 free last night, swimming a 1:58.80, and was locked in this morning, swimming the top time by over half a second. Although it wasn’t anywhere near Kozan’s personal best of 2:11.55, it was enough for Kozan to earn the top seed. Moreover, Kozan was 2:01.13 in prelims of the 200 free yesterday before coming in at finals with a 1:58.80. That would seemingly indicate she can turn it on at will right now, meaning she’ll likely be quite a bit faster tonight.

Also in the final heat were Greater Somerset Y’s Emily Thompson and Dublin Community Swim Team’s Emily Brown, both of whom swam 2:17.4s. Both swimmers were also a little over 1.5 seconds off their personal bests, however, they’ll be racing in the middle of the pool tonight nonetheless.

Edina Swim Club’s Katie McCarthy and Azura Florida Aquatics’ Nicole Frank Rodriguez also qualified for the ‘A’ final out of the final heat. In all, the final heat this morning saw 5 swimmers advance to the ‘A’ final.

Lilla Bognar (Team Greenville) and Katherine Adams (Tualatin Hills Swim Club) had an awesome battle in heat 10, the last of the circle seeded heats, seeing Bognar get her hand on the wall first in 2:18.93. Bognar was out significantly faster than Adams, splitting 29.79 on fly and 33.91 on back for a 1:03.70 on the opening 100, 2.7 seconds faster than Adams. That lead didn’t last, however, as Adams threw down a speedy 40.18 breast split, well under Bognar’s 42.65. The pair was even coming home, both splitting 32.5. Bognar and Adams (2:19.14) would both advance to the ‘B’ final.

BOYS 200 IM – PRELIMS

• World Junior Record: 1:55.94, Michael Phelps (USA) – 2003
• Meet Record: 2:00.07, Kyle Whitaker (2009)
• 13-14 NAG: 2:04.13, Michael Andrew (2014)
• 15-16 NAG: 1:59.45, Carson Foster (2018)
• 17-18 NAG: 1:55.94, Michael Phelps (2003)

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Josh Zuchowski – 2:02.55
2. Will Modglin – 2:03.56
3. Nate Germonprez – 2:04.31
4. Drew Hitchcock – 2:04.48
5. Michael Hochwalt – 2:04.61
6. Owen McDonald – 2:04.76
7. Harry Belcher – 2:04.85
8. Diego Nosack – 2:05.07

Josh Zuchowski (Flood Aquatics) ripped a new personal best to take the first circle seeded heat. Zuchowski swam a sizzling 2:02.55 this morning, taking 2 seconds off his previous best and giving him the top seed for tonight’s final. He was very quick going out, splitting 25.97 on fly, then tacked on a speedy 35.70 on the breast leg as well.

Inspire Swim Team’s Nate Germonprez took the 2nd circle seeded heat in 2:04.31, securing the # seed for tonight’s final. Germonprez was off his personal best of 2:02.45, but swam a very well-rounded race nonetheless, splitting 25.94, 31.97, 36.35 and 30.05 respectively by 50.

The final heat this morning saw 100 back champion Will Modglin (Zionsville Swim Club) emerge victorious in 2:03.56. After breaking the meet record in the 100 back last night, Modglin grabbed the #2 seed for tonight’s final in this event, taking about a second off his personal best.

400 IM champion Diego Nosack (Tualatin Hills Swim Club) had a bit of a scare this morning, finishing 8th overall to narrowly make it into the ‘A’ final with the last spot. Nosack was 2:05.07 this morning, coming in 1.6 seconds off his personal best.

Swimming out of heat 11, the last of the non-circle seeded heats, Gwinnett Aquatics 14-year-old Baylor Stanton lit up the pool, swimming a huge new personal best of 2:05.73. The swim marks Stanton’s first time under 2:07 in the event, and brings him up to #2 all-time in the 13-14 boys age group, behind only Michael Andrew (2:04.13). Stanton was great on the front half this morning, swimming a 27.64 on fly and 30.74 on back, for a 58.38 on the opening 100. His time was good for 12th (tie) place, enough to get him into the ‘B’ final tonight.

GIRLS 50 FREESTYLE – PRELIMS

• World Junior Record: 24.17, Claire Curzan (USA) – 2021
• Meet Record: 25.07, Marta Ciesla (2015)
• 13-14 NAG: 25.23, Missy Franklin (2009)
• 15-16 NAG: 24.17, Claire Curzan (2021)
• 17-18 NAG: 24.43, Claire Curzan (2022)

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Kristina Paegle – 25.72
2. Lucy Thomas – 25.74
3. Avery Karl – 25.81
4. Lily Christianson – 25.82
5. Elizabeth Tilt – 25.86
6. Alexa Fulton – 25.89
7. Hailey Tierney – 25.90
8. Kirsti McEnroe – 25.91

In a very deep girls 50 free field, it took 25.91 just to make it into the ‘A’ final, leaving sub-26s Annika Parkhe (25.92), Kayla Wilson (25.94), and Teia Salvino (25.97) in the ‘B’ final for tonight. Notably, Parkhe was an ‘A’ finalist in the 100 free earlier in the meet, and Wilson was the 100 free champion.

It was Indiana Swim Club’s Kristina Paegle who came away with the top time of the morning, clocking in at 25.72. It was a very solid morning swim for Paegle, coming in just 0.12 seconds off her personal best. Elmbrook Swim Club’s Lucy Thomas was right behind, posting a 25.74 this morning, which is just 0.13 seconds off her best.

Irish Aquatics’ Lily Christianson and Upper Main Line Y’s Alexa Fulton were both roughly half a second off their personal bests, but made it back for the ‘A’ final tonight.

Perhaps most notably this morning, there was a 5-way tie for 24th place. That will result in a swim-off to see which of the 5 swimmers will be competing in the ‘C’ final tonight. Trinity Hoang, Jada Scott, Emma Kern, Katie Lawrence, and Julia Wozniak all swam 26.39 this morning. We will update with the results of the swim-off.

**Results for the 5-way swim-off are in! Alamo Area Aquatics Association’s Jada Scott emerged victorious, blowing away the 26.39 she swam in prelims with a 26.02. That swim comes in just 0.01 seconds off Scott’s personal best of 26.01, which she just set leading off the 200 free relay on Wednesday night. Lakeside Aquatic Club (TX)’s Julia Wozniak was next in, swimming a 26.07. It’s a huge swim for Wozniak, who entered the day with a personal best of 26.70, before clocking the 26.39 in prelims. Nitro Swimming’s Trinity Hoang touched 3rd in 26.11, just off her personal best of 26.00 from last summer. Katie Lawrence out of Wyckoff Family YMCA took 4th, swimming a 26.12.That performance ties her personal best, which she set YMCA Nationals two weeks ago. Finally, Aquajets’s Emma Kern was 5th in the swim-off, posting a 26.17. That swim marks a personal best by 0.08 seconds. 

BOYS 50 FREESTYLE – PRELIMS

• World Junior Record: 21.75, Michael Andrew (USA) – 2017
• Meet Record: 22.13, Vlad Morozov, (2010)
• 13-14 NAG: 22.95, Thomas Heilman (2021)
• 15-16 NAG: 22.33, Michael Andrew (2016)
• 17-18 NAG: 21.53, Caeleb Dressel (2015)

Top 8 Qualifiers:

1. Diggory Dillingham – 22.90
2. Wells Walker – 23.01
3. Will Modglin – 23.03
4. Connor Foote – 23.04
5. Jonny Kulow – 23.05
6. Idris Muhammad – 23.07
7. Ben Scholl – 23.11
8. Thomas Heilman – 23.14

Bend Swim Club 17-year-old Diggory Dillingham backed up his top seed this morning in the boys 50 free, clocking the top time of prelims with a 22.90. Although Dillingham was 0.42 seconds off his personal best, he was the only swimmer this morning under 23 seconds, setting himself up well for finals.

Marlins of Raleigh’s Wells Walker had a massive swim to post the #2 time of the morning, swimming a 23.01. Walker swam a new personal best a few nights ago, leading off MOR’s 200 free relay in 22.94. That swim marked a new personal best for Walker by 0.97 seconds. His swim this morning backed that performance up, putting him in the middle of the pool for tonight’s ‘A’ final.

After qualifying for the ‘A’ final in the 200 IM, Zionsville Swim Club’s Will Modglin was back in action here, swimming a new personal best by nearly half a second in the 50 free. Modglin ended up 3rd, just ahead of Streamline Aquatics’ Connor Foote.

Purdue’s Idris Muhammad, swimming for Dynamo Swim Club, took 6th this morning in 23.07. Muhammad made waves a few night ago when he anchored Dynamo’s 200 free relay to victory with a field-leading 22.26 split.

Cavalier Aquatics 15-year-old Thomas Heilman made it into the ‘A’ final 8th, swimming a 23.14. Heilman has been under 23 seconds in the event before, and will be looking to inch a little closer towards Michael Andrew‘s 15-16 NAG of 22.33 tonight.