Venezuelan Olympian Andreina Pinto won three more races over the final two days of the Plantation Sectional to bring her win total to 5 for the weekend.
Pinto won once Saturday night at the long course sectional meet, going 4:12.56 to dominate the 400 free by over 12 seconds.
The next day, she would complete a brutal combo, winning the 800 free in a crisp 8:44.62 and the 200 fly in 2:12.26.
Also doubling over the two days was Canadian Sandrine Mainville, who won the 50 free (25.62) and 100 free (55.58).
On the men’s side, Florida Gator grad and Polish national Marcin Cieslak had a solid two-day run, winning the 200 IM (2:02.55) and 200 fly (2:00.53). Both were very tight races. Cieslak’s old college rival Pavel Sankovich, who swam for Florida’s competitor Florida State, was second in the IM at 2:02.70 and Canada’s Zach Chetrat was 2:00.64 for second in the 200 fly.
Another Pole also won twice: Pawel Korzeniowski took home the 50 fly and 100 free titles, going 24.04 in the former and 50.16 in the latter. Second in that 100 free was Brazilian former Auburn standout Marcelo Chierighini, who won the 50 free on Saturday in 22.97.
A couple other notable winners:
- Brazil’s Felipe Lima, swimming for Auburn Aquatics, crushed the 50 breaststroke in 27.93. Mexico’s Jorge Murillo Valdes was second, but went on to win the 200 breast the next day in 2:16.43.
- Sankovich won the 100 back to open Saturday’s finals session, going 56.47.
- The women’s 100 back came down to fingernails, with Colombia’s Carolina Colorado nipping Erin Voss of Greater Holyoke 1:01.75 to 1:01.76. The 16-year-old Voss would get her own win the next day, though, taking the 200 back in a very quick 2:10.80.
- In another incredibly tight race, Club Seminole’s Sviatlana Khaklova topped US Olympian Claire Donahue by just .01 in the 50 fly, winning in 26.85.
- Canada’s Martha McCabe just topped former Florida Gator Hilda Luthersdottir for the 200 breast title, 2:26.74 to 2:27.71. Luthersdottir won the 200 IM a day before in 2:15.41.
I was at Sectionals this past weekend and I think one more thing should be noted that makes this all the more impressive. She won the 800 free in a blazing time and RIGHT AFTER she finished swimming, she hopped up on the blocks in lane 4 for the 200 butterfly then won that rice by over a body length and a half. This girl has got some guts.
End of my Middle Atlantic junior olympics’ recap.
And of course still another focus on Destin Lasco.
On the final day he won the 200 back with a new PB in 1.50.95. He’s now the 3rd fastest ever US 13-year-old boy in that event after Ryan Murphy and Michael Andrew. Then he finished 4th in an off-event for him, the 200 fly, with another PB in 2.01.33. And finally he won the 100 free in 47.95.
I would say that his best performances all week have been:
#1 His 100 back in 50.37. Fastest US 13-year-old boy ever ahead of Andrew and Murphy.
#2 His 200 back in 1.50.95. 3rd fastest US 13-year-old boy ever… Read more »