David Sammons Rips 2:05.45 200 FL to Become Fastest U.S. 13-Year-Old Ever in the Event

2023 PRO SWIM SERIES – MISSION VIEJO

• May 17-20, 2023
• Marguerite Aquatics Center, Mission Viejo, California
• LCM (50 meters)
• Meet Central
• Psych Sheets (updated)
• All The Links
• How To Watch
• Live Results (apparently defunct. Also on Meet Mobile as “2023 TYR Pro Series – Mission Viejo)
• Day 1 Finals Live Recap
• Day 2 Prelims Live Recap | Day 2 Finals Live Recap
• Day 3 Prelims Live Recap | Day 3 Finals Live Recap
• Day 4 Prelims Live Recap | Day 4 Finals Live Recap
• Results through Friday

This post is dedicated to highlighting some of the swims that may not have received coverage on our main meet recaps. While this edition of “Swims You Might Have Missed” is mostly focused on the Pro Swim Series in Mission Viejo, we’re going to start with a swim that took place on the other side of the United States.

At the 2023 Martha McKee Open in Charlotte, North Carolina, SwimMAC Carolina 13-year-old David Sammons came in fourth in the men’s 200 fly, roaring to a massive personal best of 2:05.45. Sammons entered the meet with a lifetime best of 2:12.68, which he swam in January of this year. The youngster then popped a 2:08.57 in prelims yesterday morning before coming back in finals and taking another three seconds off that time to clock a 2:05.45.

Not only was the time exceptional, coming in just 0.36 seconds off the Summer Junior Nationals cut of 2:05.09, he swam the race exceptionally well too. Sammons was out in 28.47 on the first 50, then held on incredibly well, splitting 32.13, 32.58, and 32.27 respectively on the three remaining 50s.

Still only 13 years old, Sammons has now risen to #17 all-time in the boys 13-14 age group in the event (among Americans). According to the USA Swimming times database, Sammons swim makes him the fastest U.S. 13-year-old all-time in the event as well. The previous fastest 13yo in the event was Corey Okubo, who swam a 2:06.13 at the 2009 Summer Junior Nationals meet.

Moving to Mission Viejo, Sophie Segerson, a 15-year-old from Bellevue Club Swim Team, had a huge lifetime best in the 200 breast last night. Segerson finished 13th in the women’s 200 breast last night, touching in 2:34.60. That swim knocked just shy of four seconds off her personal best coming into the day, which stood at 2:38.41. With the performance, Segerson picked up a Summer Junior Nationals cut, as well as a US Open cut.

Tac Titans 16-year-old Jillian Crooks finished 11th in the women’s 50 free last night, swimming a 25.87. It was a big swim for Crooks, marking her first time under 26 seconds in the event. The younger sister of NCAA Champion Jordan Crooks, Jillian represented the Cayman Islands at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.