2021 CA Speedo Grand Challenge
- May 28-31, 2021
- Woollett Aquatic Center, Irvine, CA
- LCM (50m)
- Results on MeetMobile
The 2021 CA Speedo Grand Challenge kicked off tonight, featuring several high-profile lifetime bests and a few new Olympic Trials cuts. USC swimmer Isabelle Odgers cracked a new personal best en route to winning the women’s 200 IM. Odgers clocked a 2:14.98, coming in well under her previous best of 2:16.53. Additionally, Odgers’ swim marked a new Olympic Trials Wave II cut. NOVA 14-year-old Teagan O’Dell came in 2nd, posting a 2:17.40. The swim was a personal best for O’Dell, but unfortunately she touched 0.01 seconds off the Olympic Trials Wave I cut.
Odgers went on to win the women’s 100 breast as well, touching in another personal best of 1:09.23. The swim marked a personal best by 0.11 seconds, and she already had the Wave II cut in the event.
Justina Kozan, 17, picked up a new Trials cut in the women’s 50 free. Kozan, who already has plenty of Trials cuts, swam a 25.98, dipping under 26 seconds for the first time. With the swim, Kozan came in under the Wave I standard of 25.99.
Claire Tuggle, 16, won the women’s 400 free in 4:10. 71. Tuggle has a personal best of 4:07.85, and is set to be in the hunt to make the final of the 400 free at Trials in two weeks. Tuggle held a very steady pace throughout the race, keeping all her 50 splits under 32 seconds.
Jacob Heidtmann, a 26-year-old who represents Germany internationally, took two of tonight’s men’s races. In the men’s 200 free, Heidtmann burst out ahead of the field, roaring to a 1:48.71. The swim was off Heidtmann’s season best of 1:46.98, but was still good to win by 3 seconds. He would go on to win the men’s 200 IM as well, posting a season best 2:02.71.
Former USC swimmer Mario Koenigsperger won the men’s 100 breast in 1:02.38. The swim was well of Koenigsperger’s lifetime best of 1:00.83, which he swam in 2018. Scott Sobolewski swam a 1:02.89 to take 2nd in the men’s 100 breast. The swim marks a Wave I cut for Sobolewski.
When the headlines are slow 🙏🏼
Nice to see Claire Tuggle back to a very good level after 2 tough years. Talent never disappears. Hopefully she can swim close to her best times or improve her best times in the next few weeks in the 200 and 400 free.
Does anyone know what happened to Maggie Arosety? She was the #3 recruit in her class and almost made the final of the 200 IM at the 2016 trials
Also, Kayla Han broke Tuggle’s 11-12 NAG in 400 free with a 4:17.65.
It is amazing for Kozan to have 9 trial cuts. Any statistics on trials qualifiers with multiple cuts?
Bella Sims has 11 Trials cuts. That’s the most passing Flickinger. I watched her swim in Florida a 500 4:32 and was super impressed. USA teens are so impressive.
Scotttttttyyyyyy