2023 USA SWIMMING FUTURES – RICHMOND
- July 26-29, 2023
- SwimRVA, Richmond, VA
- Meet Central
- Psych Sheet
- Live Results (on MeetMobile)
The first day of the 2023 Futures Championship in Richmond is in the books. Yesterday’s action featured the men’s and women’s 200 free, 100 breast, and 200 fly, as well as timed finals of the women’s 800 free and men’s 1500 free.
Northern Kentucky Clippers 18-year-old Lainy Kruger was the big winner on the first day of the meet, winning both her individual events. Kruger, who is set to begin her collegiate career at Florida in about a month, first won the women’s 200 free in 2:01.58. She was locked in a tight race with Texas A&M’s Jordan Buechler, who is competing for her home club – Arlington Aquatic Club. Buechler got out to the early lead, but Kruger was able to pull even with her at the 150m, and slightly out-split her on the final 50. In the end, Buechler finished right behind Kruger with a 2:01.85.
For Kruger, the swim came in just off her personal best of 2:00.58, which she swam in March at the Indianapolis Sectional. Buechler’s time marks a new personal best for her.
Kruger then went on to win the women’s 200 fly as well, swimming a 2:13.47. As was the case in her 200 free, Kruger was just a bit off her personal best of 2:11.98, which she swam at the U.S. Trials in Indianapolis about a month ago.
Monocacy Aquatic Club 17-year-old Charlotte Headland won the women’s 100 breast in a huge new personal best of 1:10.80. It was a massive performance for Headland, as she had just swum her previous personal best of 1:11.86 a few weeks ago at the NBAC Mid-Summer Classic. She also won the race last night by almost a full second.
Towson University’s Brian Benzing, 21, won the men’s 100 breast in a big personal best as well. Benzing sped to a convincing victory, finishing in 1:01.10. The performance marks his first time under 1:02 in the event. Benzing picked up the Olympic Trials cut in the event in prelims yesterday, swimming a 1:02.00. Prior to his prelims swim, Benzing’s lifetime best was a 1:02.35, which he swam this past December at the 2022 US Open.
University of Virginia’s Sebastien Sergile won the men’s 200 fly in 1:59.53 last night. The swim marks Sergile’s first personal best in the event in two years. Sergile’s previous best of 1:59.63 was set at the Speedo Summer Championships – East in August of 2021. With the swim last night, Sergile picked up the Olympic Trials cut of 2:00.49.
The men’s 200 free saw Dartmouth’s Isaac Weigel win in 1:52.18. Weigel clipped his personal best of 1:52.63 with the swim.
Moving on to the distance events, Westchester Aquatic Club 15-year-old Luci Gutierrez won the women’s 800 free in 8:58.52 last night. It was a huge swim for Gutierrez, marking her first time under 9:00 in the event. Gutierrez had just swim her previous best of 9:05.79 about two weeks ago at the Senior Mets LC Championships.
North Baltimore Aquatic Club’s Caitlin Hurley, 18, also had a huge swim in the 800 free. Hurley came in 2nd with an 8:59.24, marking her first time under 9:00 in the event as well. Set to begin her college career at Purdue next month, Hurley came into the meet with a personal best of 9:09.18, which she swam at a Spring Sectional in Buffalo this March.
Naval Academy Aquatic Club 17-year-old Luke Corey won the men’s 1500 free in 15:38.42. While that’s a great time, Corey has been as fast as 15:31.45 in the event. The future Florida Gator swam that 15:31 at U.S. Trials last month in Indianapolis.