2020 Black and Gold Time Trial
- July 23-24, 2020
- Service High School Pool, Anchorage, Alaska
- 25 yard (SCY) course
- Results on Meet Mobile: “2020 Black and Gold TT”
This past weekend, several teams in Alaska jumped back into the pool to participate in the Black and Gold Meet, including the Kachemak Swim Club, Northern Lights Swim Club, and the Seward Tsunami Swim Club.
During the meet, swimmers from all three clubs were split up into two teams: the Black team and the Gold team. Events were held in a 12& under category and a 13& over category.
The meet marked all three teams’ first competition since the coronavirus pandemic closed pools around the country. However, due to USA Swimming guidelines, the times posted at the meet will not count for qualification for any meets above the LSC level.
In the team battle, the Black team won over the Gold team by a score of 1643 to 1616. However, the Gold team’s women edged the Black team’s with a final score of 935 to 817.
Individually, several swimmers posted times ranking within the top 10 times in the country following the lockdown. Additionally, many also posted personal bests, or came within reach of them.
17 year-olds Summer Cheng and Nicholas Price, both of the Black team, led all swimmers in individual points, each scoring 72 points by winning all three of their events.
Cheng, from Northern Lights won the 50 freestyle, 100 freestyle, and 100 butterfly, while posting best times in both freestyle events. Her time of 25.03 in the 50 took .37 off of her old personal best time of 25.40, while her final time of 54.85 in the 100 free chopped .25 off of her old time.
Price, also from Northern Lights Swim Club, won the 100 breaststroke, 100 backstroke, and 200 backstroke. Although he did not post any personal bests, his 100 breaststroke ranks 6th for the 17-18 age group following the lockdown.
Another highlight of the meet was USA Junior National Team member and Junior National Champion Lydia Jacoby’s return to competition. Jacoby swam as a member of the Gold squad, but usually represents Seward Tsunami Swim Club. In her signature event, the 100 breaststroke, Jacoby posted a 1:01.64 to win the event by almost 4 seconds. The time ranks her 1st in the country in the 15-16 age group following the lockdown and is faster than the top 17-18 100 breaststroke time.
Jacoby won the 100 meter breaststroke last summer at the USA Swimming Junior National Championships. Her time of 1:08.12 tied her as the 16th-best American (of any age) last summer in that event.
Other highlights:
- 14 year-old Conrad Fawcett posted top 10 times in all three of his events: the 500 free, the 200 free, and the 100 free. His 500 free ranks 2nd in the country among 13-14 year olds following the lockdown.
- Tavner Wisdom dropped over 4.5 seconds in the 100 backstroke, marking his first time under the 1:00-barrier. He also posted a top 10 time in the country in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:00.12
- Benjamin Price posted the 8th best time in the 500 freestyle for the 13-14 age group, coming within a second of his best time. He also dropped .2 off of his personal best in the 50 freestyle.