SwimSwam’s The Weekly Wonders of Age Group Swimming – 5/7/2014

Congratulations to the Daring Dozen for the weekend of May 2-4, 2014:

Zichao Liang, 11, Rockville Montgomery Swim Club: 50m free (29.07) – Liang went a personal best by 2.8 seconds and beat his last year’s 50 free time by almost 5 when he won the boys’ 11-12 50 free at RMSC’s Spring LC Classic. He also went best times in the 200/400 free, 100 breast, and 200 IM.

Alex Neff, 12, Tide: 100m free (58.94) – No one told Neff that it takes a while to break through the 1:00 barrier. Prior to this weekend’s Tide Speedo Spring Challenge his best was 1:02.3; a year ago he was going 1:05.3. Neff also dropped in the 50 free (-0.5), 200 free (-5.3), 400 free (-30), 50 fly (-2.5), 100 fly (-11.5), and 400 IM (-45).

Amanda Ray, 11, New Wave Swim Team: 200m free (2:19.57) – Ray went a blazing 10 seconds faster than her previous best 200 free at the STAR Long Days of Summer Quad Meet in Greensboro. She picked up new personal bests in the 50/400 free, 100 back, 100 breast, and 100/200 fly.

Austin Lee, 13, Scarlet Aquatics: 400m free (4:24.90) – Lee got the season off to a good start with a best time in the 400 free at the May Meters Matter hosted by Condor Swimming. He is nearly ten seconds ahead of where he was last year at this time. He also had strong early-season performances in the 50 free and 200 fly.

Taylor McCoy, 14, Gold Medal Swim Club: 100m back (1:06.50) – Swimming at the May Flower Senior Meet hosted by Bellevue Club Swim Team, McCoy took second in the 100 back by .20, just a second off her best time but more than two seconds faster than she was last May. After this meet McCoy heads into the 2014 season with new best times in the 100 free and 200/400 IM.

Vance Sanders, 14, Clearwater Aquatic Team: 200m back (2:10.90) – Sanders was just a fingernail off his best time, and 11.5 ahead of where he was last year at this time, winning the 200 back by 16 seconds at the WFLA Spring Open. Sanders also won the 50/100/200 free, 100 back, 100 fly, and 200/400 IM.

Brandon Yue, 13, Issaquah Swim Team: 100m breast (1:11.45) – Yue went almost exactly four seconds faster than he did a year ago, swimming at the May Flower Senior Meet hosted by Bellevue Club Swim Team. He posted a best time in the 100 breast by nearly two seconds and by more than six in the 200 back.

Dillon Hall, 15, Georgia Coastal Aquatic Team: 200m breast (2:31.39) – Hall kicked off long course season with a new best time in the 200 breast at GCAT’s IM Extreme meet. He also picked up new times in the 400 free and 200 back.

John Healy, 14, Triangle Aquatics Club Titans: 100m fly (1:02.79) – Swimming at TAC’s Cinco de Mayo Long Course Meet, Healy won the 100 fly just off his best time but 3.2 seconds faster than at the same meet a year ago. This time around he won the 100 back and both IMs and went home with best times in the 50/400 free, 200 breast, and 200/400 IM.

Delaney Walz, 15, Greater Philadelphia Aquatic Club: 200m fly (2:17.55) – Walz won the 200 fly at the GPAC Long Course Derby, just off her personal best (from Orlando GP in February). She also won the 100 fly and the 200/400 IM.

Caroline Theil, 14, Greater Nebraska Swim Team: 200 IM (2:23.38) – Swimming at the OWSC Spring Fiesta, Theil won the 100/400 free, 100/200 back, and 200/400 IM. Off her best time in the 2IM, she was nonetheless four seconds ahead of her pace at the same meet last year.

Vlad Elizarov (5:18.70) / Nick Elizarov (5:18.11) 12, Bellevue Club Swim Team: 400 IM – The Elizarov brothers both went best times in the 400 IM at Bellevue Swim Team’s May Flower Senior Meet. Nick also finished the weekend with new personal bests in the 50/100 free, 100/200 back, 100 fly, and 200 IM. Vlad came away with his top 400 free, 200 back, 100/200 fly, and 200 IM.

Special thanks to Lyle Campbell for his assistance in putting this list together.