2022 U.S. National Championships: Swims You Might Have Missed on Day 4

2022 US SUMMER NATIONALS

• Tuesday, July 26 – Saturday, July 30, 2022
• William Woollett Aquatics Center, Irvine, CA
• Prelims 9 AM / Finals 5 PM (U.S. Pacific Time)
• Meet website
• Meet information
• Psych Sheet
• OMEGA Live Results
• Day 4 Finals Live Recap

There were plenty of big swims on day 2 finals of U.S Nationals, highlighted by Erin Gemmell and Jake Magahey‘s 400 freestyles, along with Josh Matheny’s 100 breast. However, there were several swims that may have “slipped through the cracks” behind those electric performances. Here’s some of the top performances you may have missed on the day:

Erika Pelaez Becomes 10th Fastest 15-16 American Girl in 100 Back

After making this list twice already, it’s possible that more people are paying attention to Pelaez when she swims. However, she finished sixth, well behind the race for the national title, and we think it would’ve been easy to overlook her in that star-studded final, so we’re counting it.

Pelaez touched in 1:00.33, bettering her lifetime best from prelims. Her time also ranks her tenth in her age group in the 100 back. Her 1:00.52 from the heats had her #12, so with this swim, she leapfrogs Rye Ulett and Grace Ariola. She was running 7th at the flip, but came home in 30.85 to power past Sophie Lindner.

Trio of 400 Free ‘A’ Finalists Break 3:50 For the First Time Today

The 400 free ‘A’ final was a crowded race filled with NCAA stars. Kieran Smith paced the field early on, but it felt like it was anyone’s race to win. Over the final 100, it developed into a two-man race between Jake Magahey and Jake Mitchell, but there was still lots of excitement behind them.

The trio of David Johnston, Will Gallant, and Luke Hobson all broke 3:50 for the first time as they finished fifth, sixth, and seventh, respectively. It was Johnston’s second personal best of the day, as he went 3:50.58 in prelims before eclipsing that here with 3:49.69. Johnston actually had the slowest last 50 in the field (29.06) but his early speed helped him hang on to break the barrier.

Gallant’s 3:49.83 represents almost a second and a half drop for him. Like Johnston, 200 free champ Luke Hobson faded down the stretch, but hit the wall at 3:49.95. While it’s still too early to say that the U.S’s depth problems in this event are solved, based on Magahey’s swim and this trio getting under 3:50, it feels like the field will be more competitive than it has been of late. With these swimmers all pushing each other, maybe they won’t have to run time trials at 2024 Olympic Trials to get two swimmers under the cut.

Morgan Scott Wins 100 Back ‘B’ Final

The Alabama women won both the ‘A’ and ‘B’ finals of the 100 back, with Rhyan White winning the national championship and Morgan Scott taking the ‘B’ final. Scott swam 1:00.48, taking just over a second off her personal best and out-touching Virginia’s Reilly Tiltmann.

Under first-year head coach Margo Geer, the Alabama had an impressive last season which culminated in a 4th place finish at NCAAs. In her post-race interview, White hinted at the “unfinished business” that the Bama women have. Indeed, they have a large contingent taking fifth-years, including both White and Scott. Scott is primarily a sprint freestyler in yards, but her win here is still a strong sign for Alabama as they look to create a foundation here that will pay off next March.

Stoffle Brothers Both Record Personal Bests in the 100 Back

Auburn is having themselves a meet. The 2021-2022 was a turning point for the program, as they began a rebuild. The signs that they were beginning to rebound were there at the end of the collegiate season, and they’ve continued into long-course. On night 4 of finals, it was the Stoffle brothers who continued the Tigers’ momentum.

First, it was older brother Aidan Stoffle who took the win in the ‘B’ Final. The 21-year-old clocked 54.75, a .23 drop on the day for him. He was eighth at the 50 turn, then blasted 27.76 on the back half to move through the field and out-touch Christopher O’Connor by almost two-tenths.

Then in the ‘A’ final, it was Nathaniel Stoffle‘s turn. The 19-year-old brother swam 54.57, bettering the lifetime best of 54.90 that he went in prelims. Before today, his best time stood at 55.21.

Norvin Clontz Swims 3:53.71, #16 in the 15-16 Age Group

Though he added time in finals, Norvin Clontz put together a stellar swim in prelims of the men’s 400 free, hitting 3:53.71. That time moves him up to #16 fastest in the 15-16 age group. This is the second time in two days Clontz has ascended the age group rankings, as he earned a spot on the 400 IM list on Day 3.

In prelims, Clontz opened his race in 27.85, then held 29s the entire way until the final 50, where he split 28.28.13. The swim was about a two and a half second drop for the the 15-year-old, who entered the meet with a 3:56.17.