2022 Winter Juniors – East: Day 2 Finals Live Recap

2022 WINTER JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS – EAST

• December 7-10, 2022
• Greensboro Aquatic Center, Greensboro, North Carolina
• Short Course Yards (25 yards), Prelims/Finals
• Start Times
  • Prelims at 9:00 a.m. ET
  • Finals at 5:00 p.m. ET
• Meet Central
• Storylines to Follow
• Psych Sheets
• Day 2 Prelims Live Recap
• Day 2 Finals Scratches
• Live Results
• Live Stream

THURSDAY FINALS HEAT SHEET

Meet records already started falling in prelims this morning, so we’re sure to be in for a fast finals session tonight in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Summer McIntosh headlines the second night of the 2022 Speedo Winter Junior Championships – East. The 16-year-old Canadian phenom will kick off the evening with the 500-yard freestyle, where she set a meet record in 4:34.15 this morning. Can McIntosh take down Katie Ledecky‘s pool record of 4:29.54 from eight years ago?

The session will continue with the boys’ 500 free, the 200 IMs, and the 50 frees before wrapping up with the 400 medley relays. Stay tuned below for live updates.

GIRLS 500 FREESTYLE – FINALS

• Meet Record – 4:34.15, Summer McIntosh (2022)
• Pool Record – 4:29.54, Katie Ledecky (2014)
• 13-14 NAG Record – 4:35.14, Katie Ledecky (2011)
• 15-16 NAG Record – 4:28.71, Katie Ledecky (2014)
• 17-18 NAG Record – 4:26.58, Katie Ledecky (2015)

Top 8:

1. Summer McIntosh (SYS) – 4:27.52
2. Michaela Mattes (SYS) – 4:39.93
3. Lynsey Bowen (CSC) – 4:40.69
4. Libby Grether (DCST) – 4:48.16
5. Amanda Barnard (NOVA – 4:49.01
6. Maddie Waggoner (JW) – 4:49.25
7. Lilla Bognar (TG) – 4:51.08
8. Summer Cardwell (TBAC) – 4:52.83

16-year-old Canadian Summer McIntosh demolished her meet record from prelims by nearly seven seconds with an eye-popping 4:27.52 in the final. Not only is the swim more than a second faster than Katie Ledecky‘s 15-16 NAG record of 4:28.71, but it also makes her the No. 2 performer of all time for any age behind Ledecky’s 4:24.06.

Sarasota Sharks teammate Michaela Mattes placed second more than 12 seconds behind McIntosh. Mattes, a Florida commit, went under 4:40 for the first time with a personal-best 3:39.93. Carmel Swim Club’s Lynsey Bowen, the second qualifier this morning ahead of Mattes, shaved nearly four seconds off her previous best from prelims with a 3:40.69 tonight that puts her No. 9 all-time among 15-year-old girls.

BOYS 500 FREESTYLE – FINALS

• Meet Record – 4:12.72, Jake Magahey (2019)
• Pool Record – 4:07.97, Jake Magahey (2021)
• 13-14 NAG Record – 4:24.79, Lleyton Plattel (2017)
• 15-16 NAG Record – 4:15.36, Drew Kibler (2016)
• 17-18 NAG Record – 4:08.42, Luke Hobson (2022)

Top 8:

1. Aaron Shackell (CSC) – 4:16.49
2. Tristan DenBrok (SA) – 4:16.62
3. Henry McFadden (JW) – 4:16.99
4. Norvin Clontz (MAC) – 4:19.43
5. Andrew Taylor (TBAC) – 4:22.47
6. Gregg Enoch (CSC) – 4:22.61
7. Jason Zhao (RAYS) – 4:23.88
8. Nathan Szobota (NOVA) – 4:25.77

The three-way battle between Aaron Shackell, Tristan DenBrok, and Henry McFadden lived up to the hype as all three swimmers went sub-4:17 in the final. The times were personal bests for each, with Shackell’s first-place finish in 4:16.49 marking the steepest drop of the trio. Notably, Shackell actually negative split his race, going 2:08.78 on the front end before coming home in 2:07.71.

DenBrok, a Georgia commit, touched just .13 seconds behind Shackell while McFadden, the top qualifier in prelims, was only a few tenths back of the pair. Shackell vs. McFadden should be a fun matchup to watch in the years to come as they’re both slated to attend Pac-12 schools at Cal and Stanford, respectively.

GIRLS 200 IM – FINALS

• Meet Record – 1:53.69, Alex Walsh (2018)
• Pool Record – 1:51.36, Kate Douglass (2020)
• 13-14 NAG Record – 1:56.20, Alex Walsh (2021)
• 15-16 NAG Record – 1:54.02, Alex Walsh (2017)
• 17-18 NAG Record – 1:51.65, Ella Eastin (2016)

Top 8:

1. Alex Shackell (CSC) – 1:54.54
2. Molly Sweeney (CSC) – 1:56.53
3. Sophia Umstead (MLA) – 1:57.60
4. Emily Brown (DCST) – 1:57.73
5. Emily Thompson (GSCY) – 1:58.86
6. Avery Klamfoth (MAC) – 1:58.78
7. Grace Rainey (MAC) – 2:00.24
8. Lilla Bognar (TG) – 2:02.13

Alex made it back-to-back wins for the Shackell siblings with her 200 IM victory in 1:54.54. She took nearly two seconds off her previous best from prelims this morning, reaching the wall less than a second off of Alex Walsh‘s meet record of 1:53.69. Alex Shackell is now the sixth-fastest 200-yard IMer of all time in the girls’ 15-16 age group.

Carmel Swim Club teammate Molly Sweeney dropped more than a second off her lifetime best from October with a 1:56.53, about a second ahead of third-place finisher Sophia Umstead.

BOYS 200 IM – FINALS

• Meet Record – 1:42.01, Baylor Nelson (2021)
• Pool Record – 1:39.28, Leon Marchand (2022)
• 13-14 NAG Record – 1:45.29, Michael Andrew (2014)
• 15-16 NAG Record – 1:42.77, Michael Andrew (2015)
• 17-18 NAG Record – 1:41.39, David Nolan (2011)

Top 8:

1. Thomas Heilman (CA-Y) – 1:41.71
2. Daniel Diehl (CUY) – 1:43.01
3. Will Modglin (ZSC) – 1:43.37
4. Gibson Holmes (RAYS) – 1:45.02
5. Carter Lancaster (BSS) – 1:45.18
6. Sean Sullivan (CSC) – 1:45.71
7. Caleb Maldari (MAC) – 1:46.37
8. Will Heck (BSS) – 1:46.94

15-year-old Cavalier Aquatic standout Thomas Heilman crushed Michael Andrew‘s 15-16 NAG record by over a second with his 1:41.71 to win the 200 IM final against a speedy field featuring Daniel Diehl (1:43.01) and Will Modglin (ZSC). It was a record-breaking swim in more ways than one as Heilman also broke the previous meet record of 1:42.01 clocked by Baylor Nelson last year.

Heilman and Diehl were tied after an opening 50 fly split of 22.15, which marked a personal best for Heilman. On the backstroke leg, Heilman jumped in front with a 25.63 split, but Diehl claimed the lead after recording the only sub-30 breaststroke split in the field (29.99). Heilman bounced back to seal his victory with a blazing 23.88 free split, well ahead of both Diehl (25.24) and Modglin (24.91). Only two swimmers had a faster final 50 than Heilman at NCAAs last season.

Diehl appeared to out-swim Heilman during the middle 50s, but Heilman managed to stay close thanks to phenomenal work on the walls before putting the race out of reach on the last freestyle leg. Heilman shaved nearly two seconds off his previous best from prelims this morning to become one of two 15-year-olds in history sub-1:46 along with Maximus Williamson.

GIRLS 50 FREESTYLE – FINALS

• Meet Record – 21.49, Abby Weitzeil (2014)
• Pool Record – 21.09, Kate Douglass (2021)
• 13-14 NAG Record – 21.89, Claire Curzan (2019)
• 15-16 NAG Record – 21.50, Claire Curzan (2021)
• 17-18 NAG Record – 21.32, Simone Manuel (2015)

Top 8:

1. Alex Shackell (CSC) – 21.73
2. Erika Pelaez (EA) – 21.91
3. Alexa Fulton (UML) – 22.52
4. Lillie Nesty (GSC) – 22.52
5. Annie Jia (UDAC) – 22.54
6. Charlotte Crush (LAK) – 22.55
7. Josie Connelly (OLY) – 22.70
8. Lily Christianson (IA) – 22.76

Carmel Swim Club’s Alex Shackell completed her double in epic fashion with her second win of the night in another personal-best time. Her 21.73 ranks No. 2 all-time in the girls’ 15-16 age group behind Claire Curzan and just ahead of Gretchen Walsh.

Eagle Aquatics 16-year-old Erika Pelaez moved up to No. 6 all-time in the age group with her new lifetime best of 21.91, her first time sub-22 in the event. The NC State commit was more than half a second clear of the next finisher, which was a tie between Alexa Fulton and Lillie Nesty in 22.52.

BOYS 50 FREESTYLE – FINALS

• Meet Record – 18.71, Ryan Hoffer (2016)
• Pool Record – 18.33, Ryan Hoffer (2021)
• 13-14 NAG Record – 19.76, Michael Andrew (2014)
• 15-16 NAG Record – 19.24, Michael Andrew (2015)
• 17-18 NAG Record – 18.67, Caeleb Dressel (2015)

Top 8:

1. Scotty Buff (GRAC) – 19.46
2. Lucca Battaglini (ECA) – 19.52
3. Brendan Whitfield (LY) – 19.54
4. Kaii Winkler (EA) – 19.70
5. Will Modglin (ZSC) – 19.80
6. Roman Jones (FSPY) – 19.92
7. Wells Walker (MOR) – 20.09
8. Jerry Fox (TAC) – 20.16

Top recruit Scotty Buff matched his personal best from prelims with a 19.46 to edge Lucca Battaglini (19.52) in the 50 free final. Buff, a Florida commit, retains his spot as the 20th-fastest performer in the boys’ 17-18 age group.

Battaglini posted his second lifetime best of the day after going 19.67 in prelims to tie for the second qualifying spot along with Brendan Whitfield. Whitfield also posted another personal best, but he touched just .02 seconds behind Battaglini for third place. Recent 100 free NAG record breaker Kaii Winkler shaved .08 seconds off his previous best from prelims.

GIRLS 400 MEDLEY RELAY – FINALS

• Meet Record – 3:33.88, Carmel Swim Club (2021)
• Pool Record – 3:24.59, NC State (2021)
• 13-14 NAG Record – 3:40.43, SwimMAC Carolina (2019)
• 15-16 NAG Record – 3:36.53, Virginia Gators (2017)
• 17-18 NAG Record – 3:37.83, SwimMAC Carolina (2014)

Top 8:

1. Carmel Swim Club – 3:33.48
2. Sarasota Sharks – 3:35.48
3. SwimMAC Carolina – 3:39.48
4. Dynamo Swim Club – 3:41.29
5. SwimMAC Carolina ‘B’ – 3:41.78
6. SwimAtlanta – 3:41.88
7. Michigan Lakeshore Aquatics – 3:42.00
8. TAC Titans – 3:42.19

Carmel Swim Club lowered its meet record from last year by four-tenths of a second down to 3:33.48, cruising past the Sarasota Sharks quartet by two full seconds.

Carmel’s team was comprised of Berit Berglund (52.00 back), Molly Sweeney (11:00.79 breast), Alex Shackell (50.94 fly), and Meghan Christman (49.75 free).

The third leg of this race offered a preview of tomorrow’s 100 fly. Summer McIntosh went 50.90 for Sarasota, while Shackell was only four one-hundredths of a second behind for Carmel. Maeve Eckerman (54.30 back), Gracie Weyant (1:01.07 breast), and Addison Sauickie (49.21 free) joined McIntosh on Sarasota’s runner-up squad.

BOYS 400 MEDLEY RELAY – FINALS

• Meet Record – 3:11.11, Mason Manta Rays (2018)
• Pool Record – 3:00.23, Texas (2021)
• 13-14 NAG Record – 3:24.49, Carmel Swim Club (2020)
• 15-16 NAG Record – 3:16.18, Bolles School Sharks (2014)
• 17-18 NAG Record – 3:10.27, Spartan Aquatic Club (2021)

Top 8:

1. TAC Titans – 3:13.12
2. Cavalier Aquatics – 3:13.45
3. Carmel Swim Club – 3:13.60
4. Bolles School Sharks – 3:13.95
5. SwimMAC Carolina – 3:14.17
6. Lakeside Swim Team – 3:14.43
7. Bolles School Sharks ‘B’ – 3:15.16
8. New Albany Aquatics – 3:15.92

The boys’ 400 medley relay final came down to the wire as four teams were separated by less than a second sub-3:14. The TAC Titans’ quartet of Will Thompson (48.00 back), Grayson Nye (54.08 breast), Colin Whelehan (48.07 fly), and Jerry Fox (42.97 free) led the way with a combined time of 3:13.12, about two seconds off the meet record set by Mason Manta Rays in 2018.

Thomas Heilman threw down a 44.95 fly split in Cavalier Aquatics’ runner-up effort. Heilman’s 44.95 fly split was faster than 20 of the 28 teams that swam the 400 medley relay at NCAAs last season (not counting one DQ’d team).

Carmel had an impressive performance en route to a third-place finish in 3:13.60, but perhaps the biggest story of the race was fourth-place Bolles School Sharks destroying its own 15-16 NAG record of 3:16.18 from 2014. The Sharks went 3:13.95 tonight to take down their previous mark by more than two seconds. Landon Kyser (49.33 back), Wyatt Porch (53.85 breast), Carter Lancaster (46.78 fly), and 15-year-old Andy Kravchenko (43.99) combined for the record-breaking performance.