2023 U.S. Summer Junior Nationals: Day 2 Finals Live Recap

2023 Summer Junior National Championships

• July 31 – August 4, 2023
• Prelims 9AM, finals 5PM (Pacific Time)
• LCM (50 meters)
• William Woollett Jr. Aquatics Center, Irvine, California, United States
• Meet Central
• Pre-Scratch Timelines
• Pre-Scratch Psych Sheet
• Girls meet preview
• Boys meet preview
• Live Results
• Live Stream

Day 2

Tonight’s finals session will include C/B/A heats of the 100 free and 400 IM, as well as timed finals of the 800 free relay.

Madi Mintenko of Pikes Peak Athletics posted the top time of the morning (55.60) to lead the 100 free qualifiers. She will be challenged on either side by Bailey Hartman of Crow Canyon, and Cavan Gormsen of Long Island Aquatic Club. Caroline Larsen from Foxjets Swim Team, the top seed coming into the meet, will be in lane 1. La Mirada Armada’s Kayla Han topped the field in the 400 IM this morning with 4:47.49 but it is likely to be a tight battle with four more swimmers hitting 4:48s in heats: SwimMAC Carolina’s Sofia Plaza, Edina Swim Club’s Katie McCarthy, Pikes Peak’s Caroline Bricker, and Club Wolverine’s Hannah Bellard.

Texas Ford’s Jacob Wimberly was the sole sub-50 in morning heats; he will be in lane 4 of the boys’ 100 free final. Carmel Swim Club’s Aaron Shackell and Mason Manta Rays’ Jason Zhao, as well as Henry McFadden from Jersey Wahoos, are all potential gold medalists. Long Island Aquatic Club’s Sean Green edged Tualatin Hills’ Diego Nosack in heats of the 400 IM, 4:20.25 to 4:20.29. They’ll do battle with each other and with Evolution Racing’s Humberto Najera, who came to the meet with the fastest seed time.

TUESDAY EVENING HEAT SHEETS

Girls’ 100 Meter Freestyle – Finals

• Jr World: 52.70 – Penny Oleksiak (2016)
• Meet: 54.03 – Missy Franklin (2009)
• Girls’ 13-14 NAG: 54.03 – Missy Franklin (2009)
• Girls’ 15-16 NAG: 53.55 – Claire Curzan (2021)
• Girls’ 17-18 NAG: 53.25 – Simone Manuel (2014)
• 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials: 55.79

Podium:

1. Bailey Hartman (CROW), 55.13
2. Madi Mintenko (PPA), 55.34
3. Lucy Mehraban (CW), 55.70
4. Madeleine Hebert (TRA), 55.80
5. Caroline Larsen (FOXJ), 55.82
6. Cavan Gormsen (LIAC), 55.90
7. Rebecca Diaconescu (TRA), 55.95
8. Hailey Tierney (LAKE), 56.20

Crow Canyon’s Bailey Hartman was first off the blocks, first at the 50, and first at the finish. She won the 100 free with 55.13, an improvement of 1.47 seconds from her entry time of 56.60.

Club Wolverine’s Lucy Mehraban was in second place at the halfway point, about two-tenths ahead of Pikes Peak’s Madi Mintenko. But Mintenko came home half a second faster, with 28.2, and was able to secure the silver medal behind Hartman, 55.34 to 55.70. Madeleine Hebert of Team Rebel Aquatics moved from sixth to fourth over the second 50; she missed the Trials cut by .01 with 55.80.

Mount Pleasant’s Lily King and Mission Viejo’s Asia Kozan tied for first place in the B final with 56.17. Maggie Schalow of Irvine Novaquatics won the C final with 56.44.

Boys’ 100 Meter Freestyle – Finals

• Jr World: 46.86 – David Popovici (2022)
• Meet: 49.06 – Vladimir Morozov/Andreu Minako (2010)
• Boys’ 13-14 NAG: 51.12 – Thomas Heilman (2021)
• Boys’ 15-16 NAG: 48.81 – Kaii Winkler (2023)
• Boys’ 17-18 NAG: 48.47 – Jonny Kulow (2023)
• 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials: 49.99

Podium:

1. Jason Zhao (RAYS), 49.39
2. Aaron Shackell (CSC), 49.52
3. Henry McFadden (JW), 49.61
4. Jacob Wimberly (TFA), 49.79
5. Daniel Li (TXLA), 50.43
6. Josh Howat (NCAP), 50.70
7. Kayden Lancaster (BSS), 50.80
8. Jeremy Kelly (NTRO), 51.01

Jason Zhao from Mason Manta Rays shot like a rocket off the block. He flipped at 23.95 at the halfway mark, already nearly two-tenths ahead of his nearest competition. He maintained his advantage over the field on the second 50, splitting 25.44 to win with 49.39 and a new Olympic Trials cut. Zhao moved to #5 on the all-time list for 15-16 boys in the U.S.

Behind him, Carmel Swim Club’s Aaron Shackell and Texas Ford’s Jacob Wimberly went out in 24.12 and 24.13, respectively. Jersey Wahoos’ Henry McFadden was 24.21 at the 50. Both Shackell and McFadden came home in 25.40 but that .04 wasn’t enough to make up for Zhao’s sub-24 opening 50.

Andy Kravchenko from Bolles School Sharks won the B final in 50.76 ahead of Evan Croley from Streamline Aquatics (50.89). California Aquatics’ Rob Alexy was first to the wall in the C final (50.68).

Girls’ 400 Meter Individual Medley – Finals

• Jr World: 4:25.87 – Summer McIntosh (2023)
• Meet: 4:38.97 – Ella Eastin (2013)
• Girls’ 13-14 NAG: 4:39.76 – Becca Mann (2012)
• Girls’ 15-16 NAG: 4:32.67 – Katie Grimes (2022)
• Girls’ 17-18 NAG: 4:31.78 – Elizabeth Beisel (2011)
• 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials: 4:49.89

Podium:

1. Kayla Han (RMDA), 4:42.32
2. Hannah Bellard (CW), 4:46.83
3. Katie McCarthy (EDI), 4:47.31
4. Sofia Plaza (MAC), 4:47.47
5. Camden Doane (KING), 4:48.03
6. Alexa McDevitt (BC), 4:48.24
7. Chloe Kim (SCAR), 4:49.21
8. Caroline Bricker (PPA), 4:50.63

Caroline Bricker from Pikes Peak Athletics was first at the 50 wall, taking the butterfly leg out fast. Club Wolverine’s Hannah Bellard took over at the 100, splitting 1:03.67 on the fly. Bricker was just behind, with 1:03.79. Camden Doane of King Aquatic Club, Katie McCarthy of Edina Swim Club, and Kayla Han of La Mirada Armada followed.

Han moved into second place behind Bellard after the first 50 of backstroke, and took over the lead at the 200. She was 3 seconds ahead of her morning pace at that point. Han, whose second half is her strength, shut down the field on the breaststroke and freestyle, finishing with 4:42.32 to win by 4.5 seconds. Han lowered her PB by .64. Bellard remained in second place throughout the rest of the race, while McCarthy moved from sixth to third over the second 200 meters.

13-year-old Audrey Derivaux of Jersey Wahoos won the B final with 4:49.32, punching her ticket to Olympic Trials in 2024 and jumping to the #2 position all-time for U.S. 13-14 girls. Kathleen Turano from Scarlet Aquatics also booked her slot at Trials with a second-place 4:49.76.

Eunice Lee of Santa Clara Swim Club won the C final of in 4:51.50, dropping 1.4 seconds from her entry time.

Boys’ 400 Meter Individual Medley – Finals

• Jr World: 4:10.02 – Ilia Borodin (2021)
• Meet: 4:14.51 – Gunnar Bentz (2013)
• Boys’ 13-14 NAG: 4:24.77 – Michael Phelps (2000)
• Boys’ 15-16 NAG: 4:14.73 – Carson Foster (2018)
• Boys’ 17-18 NAG: 4:09.09 – Michael Phelps (2003)
• 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials: 4:25.19

Podium:

1. Sean Green (LIAC), 4:18.62
2. Humberto Najera (EVO), 4:19.45
3. Diego Nosack (THSC), 4:19.84
4. Noah Cakir (TS), 4:21.81
5. Baylor Stanton (GA), 4:24.47
6. Strahinja Maslo (LIAC), 4:25.46
7. Nathan Szobota (NOVA), 4:26.27
8. Gregg Enoch (CSC), 4:28.13

16-year-old Sean Green, who had already dropped 2.5 seconds this morning to post the morning’s top time with a PB of 4:20.25, went another 1.6 seconds faster to get the win over a very tight field with 4:18.62 in the A final. That ranks him #6 on the all-time list of 15-16 boys in the U.S.

Green took the butterfly out hard, splitting the 100 1.5 seconds faster than he had in heats with 57.50. Carmel’s Gregg Enoch was in second place (58.53), followed by Diego Nosack from Tualatin Hills, Gwinnett’s Baylor Stanton, Evolution Racing’s Humberto Najera, and Team Suffolk’s Noah Cakir, all of whom had 59s. Najera pulled into second place on the backstroke, while Green extended his lead over the field to 2 seconds, turning into the breaststroke leg at 2:02.11. The field tightened considerably on the breaststroke. Cakir split 1:12.8; Nosack, 1:13.8; and Najera, 1:16.1. Green was 1:17.8 on the breast. Green, Najera, and Nosack turned in unison at the 300 wall and sprinted the next 100 meters for home. Green’s momentum carried him to the front of the pack on the final 50 meters. He ended up nearly a body length ahead with 4:18.62 to Najera’s 4:19.45 and Nosack’s 4:19.84.

The Swim Team’s Isaac Fleig, who came from behind to win the 1500 free last night, did it again on the back half in the B final of the 400 IM. He touched out BBD’s Angus Macdonald, 4:24.68 to 4:24.75, after having been in seventh place at the 200. Jake McCoy of Cougar Aquatics was third with 4:25.02. All three earned 2024 Olympic Trials cuts. Texas Ford Aquatics’ Lukas Vetkoetter won the C final with a Trials cut of 4:23.81.

Girls’ 4×200 Meter Freestyle Relay – Timed Finals

• Jr World: 7:51.47 – Canada (2017)
• Meet: 8:10.13 – York YMCA (2013)
• Girls’ 13-14 NAG: 8:20.88 – Sandpipers of Nevada (2019)
• Girls’ 15-16 NAG: 8:11.73 – Carmel Swim Club (2023)
• Girls’ 17-18 NAG: 8:10.38 – Palo Alto Stanford Aquatics (2011)
• Girls’ 15-18 NAG: 7:58.93 – Sandpipers of Nevada (2023)

Podium:

1. Long Island Aquatic Club, 8:09.06M
2. Carmel Swim Club, 8:10.93
3. Mission Viejo Nadadores, 8:14.38
4. NOVA of Virginia, 8:14.86
5. Irvine Novaquatics, 8:15.71
6. Scarlet Aquatics, 8:16.79
7. Crow Canyon Sharks, 8:17.43
8. Bellevue Club Swim Team, 8:17.51

Long Island Aquatic Club’s Lily Gormsen (2:03.12), Tess Howley (1:59.94), Katie Yee (2:05.43), and Cavan Gormsen (2:00.57) combined for 8:09.07 to beat Carmel Swim Club by 1.9 seconds and take down a 10-year-old meet record that had been set by York YMCA with 8:10.13.

Carmel got off to a strong start with Lynsey Bowen (2:01.92) but Howley’s leg propelled LIAC past Molly Sweeney (2:02.54). Carmel took over the lead at the 600 after Vivan Wilson’s 2:02.95. Lexie Ward came home with 2:03.52 but Cavan Gormsen’s 2:00.57 gave LIAC the win and the record.

Boys’ 4×200 Meter Freestyle Relay – Timed Finals

• Jr World: 7:08.37 – USA (2019)
• Meet: 7:25.36 – Longhorn Aquatics (2022)
• Boys’ 13-14 NAG: 7:49.60 – SwimMAC Carolina (2021)
• Boys’ 15-16 NAG: 7:37.48 – Irvine Novaquatics (2016)
• Boys’ 17-18 NAG: 7:24.52 – Mason Manta Rays (2019)
• Boys’ 15-18 NAG: 7:22.13 – SwimMAC Carolina (2021)

Podium:

1. Lakeside Aquatic Club, 7:21.43
2. Carmel Swim Club, 7:26.73
3. Nitro Swimming, 7:29.09
4. SwimMAC Carolina, 7:29.27
5. New Wave Swim Team, 7:32.10
6. Long Island Aquatic Club, 7:32.79
7. Crow Canyon Sharks, 7:33.44
8. Longhorn Aquatics, 7:33.92

Maximus Williamson got Lakeside Aquatic Club off to an incredible start on the first leg of the 800 free relay, trading stroke for stroke with Carmel Swim Club’s Aaron Shackell and eventually out-touching him, 1:47.29 to 1:47.55. Williamson lowered his own 15-16 NAG with the leadoff swim.

Cooper Lucas took the baton from Williamson and swam a 1:48.95 on the second leg. He was followed by River Paulk (1:54.19) and Max Hatcher (1:51.00). Lakeside’s combined 7:21.43 broke both the meet record and the boys’ 15-18 national age group record.

Carmel’s Shackell was followed by his brother Aaron Shackell (1:53.30), Michael Gorey (1:55.27), and Gregg Enoch (1:50.61) for a time of 7:26.73.

Girls’ Team Scores – Day 2

1. Crow Canyon Sharks, 120
2. Long Island Aquatic Club, 94
3. Carmel Swim Club, 91
4. Bellevue Club Swim Team, 89
5. Mission Viejo Nadadores, 87
6. Scarlet Aquatics, 86
7. Irvine Novaquatis, 77
8. Pikes Peak Athletics, 73
9. Club Wolverine, 68
10. Edina Swim Club/SwimMAC Carolina, 38

Boys’ Team Scores – Day 2

1. Carmel Swim Club, 99
2. SwimMAC Carolina, 82
3. Nitro Swimming, 80
4. Bolles School Sharks, 71
5. Texas Ford Aquatics, 60
6. Long Island Aquatic Club, 59
7. Longhorn Aquatics, 58
8. Aquajets Swim Team, 57
9. NOVA of Virginia, 55
10. Rose Bowl Aquatics, 52

Combined Team Scores – Day 2

1. Carmel Swim Club, 190
2. Long Island Aquatic Club, 153
3. Crow Canyon Sharks, 144
4. SwimMAC Carolina, 120
5. Irvine Novaquatics, 97
6. Scarlet Aquatics, 95
7. Mission Viejo Nadadores, 92
8. Bellevue Club Swim Team, 91
9. Nitro Swimming, 88
10. NOVA of Virginia, 85