2024 Middle Atlantic Junior Championships
- July 17-21, 2024
- McGinness Pool at Franklin & Marshall College
- Lancaster, Pennsylvania
- LCM (50 meters)
- Results on MeetMobile: “2024 Middle Atlantic LCM Junior Champs”
Orca Swim Club 10-year-old Alex Kovtounenko broke two LSC records at the Middle Atlantic Junior Championships last weekend in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, registering times that rank inside the top 5 all-time for his age group.
Kovtounenko won the 50-meter butterfly in 30.24, taking more than half a second off his own Middle Atlantic LSC standard of 30.98 from last month. Before he broke the LSC record last month, the standard stood at 31.27 by Feliks Flimonov in 2022.
Only one 10-and-under American boy has ever been faster than Kovtounenko in the 50 fly: Carson Foster with his national age group (NAG) record of 29.91 from 2012.
Kovtounenko set another LSC record in the 100 fly at 1:08.44, dropping almost two seconds off his own standard of 1:10.42 from last month to rank 4th all-time among U.S. 10-and-under boys. Before last month, Andrew Abruzzo still owned the Middle Atlantic LSC record at 1:10.93 from back in 2010.
Fastest 10U American Boys, 100 Fly
- Andrew Rogers – 1:05.98 (2015)
- Carson Foster – 1:07.24 (2012)
- Ayden Tan – 1:07.83 (2023)
- Alexander Kovtounenko – 1:08.44 (2024)
- Daniel Branon – 1:08.47 (2019)
In his first time ever swimming the 400 freestyle, Kovtounenko posted a 4:54.66 that was only a couple seconds shy of Destin Lasco‘s LSC record (4:52.12) from 2012. He added another lifetime best in the 100 free (1:03.78), dropping more than a second off his previous-best 1:04.81 from last month and scaring Rory Connell‘s LSC record (1:03.14).
Parkland Aquatic Club 9-year-old Scotty Thieman showed off his versatility with personal bests in the 100 fly (1:15.87), 200 free (2:26.70), 100 back (1:17.74), and 200 IM (2:49.01). He dropped more than a second in the 100 fly, two seconds in the 200 free, one second in the 100 back, and one second in the 200 IM.
Greater Philadelphia Aquatic Club 11-year-old Johnathan Cook impressed with a 93-second drop in the 1500 free (19:44.55), annihilating his previous-best 21:18.03 from May.
Girls Recap
Upper Main Line YMCA 11-year-old Grace Zhang threw down a pair of personal bests in the 100 breast (1:18.89) and 200 breast (2:49.31). She dropped more than a second in the 100 breast and almost three seconds in the 200 breast off her lifetime bests from last month.
York and York County YMCA 11-year-old Lillie Dirito delivered an encouraging performance with four best times in the 100 back (1:11.56), 50 fly (30.95), 200 back (2:37.10), and 200 IM (2:39.28). She dropped almost four seconds in the 100 back and more than five seconds in the 200 IM.
PDR Swimming for Success 14-year-old Nola Waldbuesser fired off a few personal bests int he 50 free (27.33), 100 free (58.11), and 100 back (1:10.49). She also blazed a time of 2:06.05, narrowly missing her lifetime best of 2:05.93 from last month.
Western Branch YMCA Wahoos 10-year-old Kayla Frank shaved a few hundredths off her best time in the 50 back (35.42) on her way to the win.
Germantown Academy Aquatic 12-year-old Megan Simpson secured a 1500 free victory in 18:39.13, blowing away her previous-best 19:12.33 from last month. Olivia Connell still owns the LSC record at 17:39.48 from 2001.