2023 Mel Zajac Jr. International Meet: Day 2 Finals Live Recap

2023 MEL ZAJAC JR. INTERNATIONAL SWIM MEET

• June 2-4, 2023
• Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
• UBC Aquatic Centre
• LCM (50 meters)
• Meet Central
• Psych Sheets
• SwimSwam Preview
• Live Results
• Day 1 Prelims Recap
• Day 1 Finals Recap

The second finals session of the 2023 Mel Zajac Jr. International Swim Meet is here.

After clocking a 23.99 to win the men’s 50 fly last night, Josh Liendo was back in action this morning, swimming a very solid 51.59 in prelims, which led the field by nearly four seconds. Notably, Liendo was out in 24.40 this morning, just 0.41 seconds slower than his winning time from the 50 last night.

Liendo also led prelims of the men’s 50 free this morning, where he swam a 22.46.

Maggie MacNeil was unable to compete on day one of the meet due to travel delays, but she’s now made it to Vancouver and is ready to race in her first finals of the weekend. This morning, MacNeil clocked a 58.79 in prelims of the women’s 100 fly, leading the field by over a second. 17-year-old Victoria Raymond was also under 1:00 this morning, putting up a 59.89 to take the second seed for tonight’s final.

MacNeil has a busy day ahead of her, as she also raced the 50 back and 50 free this morning.

WOMEN’S 200 INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY – FINALS

RESULTS:

1. Tessa Cieplucha – 2:14.73
2. Julie Brousseau – 2:16.60
3. Alexanne Lepage – 2:16.90
4. Halle West – 2:19.03
5. Sophie Segerson – 2:19.06
6. Piper Enge – 2:19.18
7. Danielle Hanus – 2:19.28
8. Alexa McDevitt – 2:19.39
9. Emma O’Croinin – 2:20.18
10. Jordan Greber – 2:22.59

24-year-old Tessa Cieplucha was in control tonight, speeding to victory in 2:14.73. The swim was well under her prelims swim of 2:17.61, and a bit less than three seconds off her lifetime best of 2:12.03, which she swam at the 2022 Canadian Trials last April. She swam a well-balanced race tonight, splitting 29.36 on fly, 34.37 on back, 39.10 on breast, and 31.90 on free.

17-year-old Julie Brousseau came in second with a 2:16.60 tonight. That swim comes in about three seconds off her best of 2:13.66.

MEN’S 200 INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY – FINALS

RESULTS:

1. Collyn Gagne – 2:02.50
2. Larry Yu – 2:05.91
3. Aiden Norman – 2:07.79
4. Laon Kim – 2:08.99
5. Justice Migneault – 2:09.23
6. Hugh MacNeill – 2:10.14
7. Raben Dommann – 2:10.61
8. Blake Tierney – 2:10.76
9. Alexandre Yazegjian – 2:11.21
10. Andrew Zie – 2:12.86

Just as Tessa Cieplucha won the women’s 200 IM decisively, Collyn Gagne took the men’s IM in convincing fashion as well. Gagne was great on the breast leg tonight, splitting a sizzling 34.91, tacking on a speedy 29.21 on the free leg as well.

Gagne has been as fast as 2:00.37 in his career.

17-year-old Aiden Norman clocked a third-place finish with a 2:07.79, marking a solid swim for the youngster. Norman has been 2:04.17 before. The youngest swimmer in the ‘A’ final tonight, Norman posted the fastest backstroke split in the field, swimming a 31.67 on that 50.

WOMEN’S 100 BUTTERFLY – FINALS

RESULTS:

1. Maggie MacNeil – 57.70
2. Miriam Guevara – 59.70
3. Victoria Raymond – 59.85
4. Leilani Fack – 1:01.29
5. Ella Jablonski – 1:01.30
6. Clare Watson – 1:01.55
7. Danielle Hanus – 1:01.67
8. Mia West – 1:01.86
9. Sela Wist – 1:02.46
10. Gracyn Kehoe – 1:02.71

Maggie MacNeil was dominant in the women’s 100 fly final tonight, swimming a 57.70 to win the race by exactly two seconds. That performance comes in a little over a second off her 2023 best, which was the 56.54 she swam at Canadian Trials in April. Also of note, her 56.54 season best stands as the #2 time in the world this year.

Miriam Guevara also dipped under 1:00 tonight, joining MacNeil and Victoria Raymond, both of whom were sub-1:00 this morning as well. Guevara’s 59.70 was a fantastic swim for her, coming in just 0.39 seconds off her lifetime best.

Raymod was a touch faster than her prelims swim of 59.89, clocking a 59.85 for third tonight.

MEN’S 100 BUTTERFLY – FINALS

RESULTS:

1. Josh Liendo – 51.97
2. Wyatt Carlton – 54.90
3. Nicholas Duncan – 55.00
4. Eric Ginzburg – 55.34
5. Max Malakhovets – 55.54
6. Bill Dongfang – 55.99
7. Wells Ginzer – 56.36
8. Jack Hayhoe – 56.37
9. Tristan Govier – 56.42
10. Antoine Destang – 56.63

Josh Liendo was a bit off his prelims swim of 51.59, winning the men’s 100 fly in 51.97 tonight. He took the race out in 24.58 tonight, which was 0.18 seconds slower than the 24.40 he split on the opening 50 this morning. He was also slower on the second 50 tonight versus this morning as well.

18-year-old Wyatt Carlton took second tonight with a 54.90. Carlton has a lifetime best of 54.49.

WOMEN’S 50 BACKSTROKE – FINALS

RESULTS:

1. Maggie MacNeil – 28.23
2. Sienna Rodgers – 29.49
3. Eloise Allen – 29.51
4. Sophia Sunwoo – 29.58
5. Katelyn Schroeder – 29.64
6. Bridget Burton – 29.79
7. Madison Kryger – 29.87
8. Jordan Greber – 29.89
9. Natascha Borromeo – 30.07
10. Lea Nugent – 30.57

In a very quick turnaround following her 100 fly victory, Maggie MacNeil was back in action, taking the women’s 50 back in 28.23. Considering how little time there was between her 100 fly and 50 back, that 28.23 is a relatively fast time for MacNeil. The performance was also enough to win the race by over a second.

It was 15-year-old Sienna Rodgers took second tonight, swimming a 29.49. That swim comes in just 0.09 seconds off her lifetime best of 29.40.

Overall, it was an incredibly tight final of the 50 back tonight, seeing second through eighth separated by just 0.40 seconds, with all seven of those swimmers going under 30 seconds as well.

MEN’S 50 BACKSTROKE – FINALS

RESULTS:

1. Alexandar Lackovic – 26.77
2. Hugh MacNeill – 26.87
3. Ramy Ghaziri – 26.91
4. Paul Orogo – 26.98
5. Raben Domman – 27.01
6. Wells Ginzer – 27.17
7. Kevin Kong – 27.21
8. Jayden Cole – 27.43
9. Daniel Chernin – 27.53
10. Larry Yu – 27.67

17-year-old Alexandar Lackovic became the youngest winner of the night so far, taking the men’s 50 back in 26.77. That swim comes in 0.60 seconds off his lifetime best of 26.17.

Also of note, 16-year-old Wells Ginzer came in sixth in the 50 back tonight with a 27.17. He did so shortly after taking seventh in the 100 fly about ten minutes earlier.

Hugh MacNeill and Larry Yu were also ‘A’ finalists in the 200 IM at the beginning of the session and were racing again in this final.

WOMEN’S 400 FREESTYLE – FINALS

RESULTS:

1. Maya Bezanson – 4:19.14
2. Laila Oravsky – 4:21.13
3. Alexa McDevitt – 4:22.23
4. Mia West – 4:23.29
5. Julia Strojnowska – 4:24.29
6. Leah Tigert – 4:26.54
7. Sydney Wilson – 4:27.12
8. Emily De Jager – 4:28.31
9. Mia Foster – 4:29.94
10. Delia Lloyd – 4:31.45

16-year-old Maya Bezanson won the women’s 400 free tonight with a 4:19.14. She was out in 1:01.68 on the opening 100, then leveled off to a 1:05-midish pace, splitting 1:05.68, 1:06.17, and 1:05.61 on the remaining 100s. Bezanson has a lifetime best of 4:15.71.

It was a trio of 16-year-olds standing on top of the podium tonight, as Laila Oravsky and Alexa McDevitt took second and third.

14-year-old Leah Tigert had a huge swim tonight, taking sixth with a 4:26.54. Tigert had a lifetime best of 4:29.07 coming into the meet, which she took 2.53 seconds off with her swim tonight.

MEN’S 400 FREESTYLE – FINALS

RESULTS:

1. Alexander Axon – 3:56.01
2. Jeremy Bagshaw – 3:56.19
3. Aiden Hammer – 3:56.73
4. Thomas Olsen – 4:02.41
5. Paul McKenzie – 4:05.64
6. Jordan Schaepper – 4:06.32
7. Hau-Li Fan – 4:07.42
8. Zack Bowie – 4:09.87
9. Miles Cratsenberg – 4:10.50
10. Zach McLeod – 4:10.90

The men’s 400 free saw the most thrilling race of the night to this point, with Alexander Axon, Jeremy Bagshaw, and Aiden Hammer all going 3:56. It was Axon who ended up getting his hand on the wall first in 3:56.01, followed closely by Bagshaw in 3:56.19, then Hammer with a 3:56.73. The trio was swimming right with each other the whole way through the race. At the 200m turn, they were separated by just 0.37 seconds.

Notably, Hammer, a 15-year-old American, blew away his lifetime best of 3:58.90, which he swam at the Westmont Pro Swim Series in April.

WOMEN’S 200 BREASTSTROKE – FINALS

RESULTS:

1. Tessa Cieplucha – 2:29.91
2. Alexanne Lepage – 2:30.74
3. Piper Enge – 2:31.72
4. Katherine Adams – 2:34.26
5. Danika Ethier – 2:35.84
6. Sophie Segerson – 2:36.85
7. Julie Brousseau – 2:37.33
8. Gracyn Kehoe – 2:39.19
9. Jessica Maeda – 2:39.62
10. Justine Lapierre – 2:40.42

Tessa Cieplucha claimed her second victory of the night in the women’s 200 breast. After opening the session with a win in the women’s 200 IM, Cieplucha dipped under 2:30 tonight in the 200 breast, swimming a 2:29.91 to touch the wall first. She was well over four seconds faster than her prelims swim of 2:34.27, and about three seconds off her lifetime best of 2:26.84.

17-year-old Alexanne Lepage had a massive swim to take second tonight. Lepage entered the meet with a seed time of 2:38.82 in the event, which she lowered to 2:35.42 in prelims before ripping a 2:30.74 in finals tonight.

MEN’S 200 BREASTSTROKE – FINALS

RESULTS:

1. Justin Jung – 2:18.51
2. James Dergousoff – 2:18.78
3. Oliver Dawson – 2:20.99
4. Nathan Thomas – 2:22.99
5. Cota Clise – 2:23.26
6. Brayden Hemeon – 2:23.75
7. Adam Jozsa – 2:26.08
8. Evan Vellescig – 2:27.77
9. Hayden Yeung – 2:29.12
10. Tristan Sieluzycki – 2:31.37

16-year-old Justin Jung became the latest young swimmer to win an event tonight, taking the men’s 200 breast in 2:18.51. The performance marks a lifetime best for Jung by 0.30 seconds. He swam a very tightly split race, swimming a 1:07.63 on the first 100, then came home in 1:10.88 on the final 100.

James Dergousoff came in a close second, touching in 2:18.78. Dergousoff was out just ahead of Jung on the front half, splitting 1:07.02 on the first 100 to Jung’s 1:07.63.

15-year-old Oliver Dawson came in third with a 2:20.99. Dawson has been as fast as 2:18.48 in his career.

WOMEN’S 50 FREESTYLE – FINALS

RESULTS:

1. Maggie MacNeil – 25.30
2. Sofia Revilak – 25.58
3. Emma O’Croinin – 26.03
4. Sophia Sunwoo – 26.17
5. Katie Graboski – 26.31
6. Jenna Walters – 26.36
7. Clare Watson – 26.73
8. Matea Gigovic – 26.80
9. Leilani Fack – 27.05
10. Gemma Norman – 27.33

Maggie MacNeil won her third event of the night, taking the women’s 50 free in 25.30. While that’s off her lifetime best, she was much faster than the 25.80 she swam in prelims this morning.

Sophia Sunwoo, 16, came in fourth tonight with a 26.17. That swim comes in just off her lifetime best of 26.13, which she swam two weeks ago. Katie Graboski, another 16-year-old, came in fifth with a 26.31, which marked a new personal best for her by 0.02 seconds. 16-year-old Jenna Walters also clipped her best time by 0.04 seconds, taking sixth in 26.36.

MEN’S 50 FREESTYLE – FINALS

RESULTS:

1. Josh Liendo – 22.33
2. Eric Ginzburg – 23.14
3. Laon Kim – 23.18
4. Stephen Calkins – 23.34
5. Joel Blanco – 23.93
6. Albert Bouley – 24.03
7. Leo Fath – 24.06
8. Wells Ginzer – 24.10
9. Alexandar Lackovic – 24.27
10. Ty Unrau – 24.30

Josh Liendo won his second race of the night decisively, speeding to a 22.33 to claim victory in the men’s 50 free. It was a decent swim for Liendo, coming in 0.13 seconds under his prelims time of 22.46. Liendo holds the Canadian Record in the event with a 21.61.

15-year-old Laon Kim rocketed to a new lifetime best of 23.18, finishing third tonight. Kim’s performance came in 0.37 seconds under his previous personal best of 23.55. Moreover, with that performance, Kim becomes the fastest Canadian 15-year-old ever in the event. Those honors were, until tonight, held by none other than Liendo, who swam a 23.36 in the summer of 2018, when he was 15 years old. Kim blew that time away tonight by 0.18 seconds. At just 15 years old, Kim now sits just 0.67 seconds off the Canadian National Age Group Record for 15-17 boys, which stands at 22.51, and is held, of course, by Liendo.