Alex Shackell Pulls Off Back-to-Back 100 Fly/200 Free Victories In 25 Minutes

2023 SPEEDO WINTER JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS – EAST

• December 6-9, 2023
• McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion, Columbus, OH
• Prelims: 9:00 am (EST)/ Finals: 5:00 pm (EST)
  • Wednesday finals (relays only): 6:00 pm (EST)
• SCY (25 yards)
• Meet Central (USA Swimming)
• How To Watch
• Psych Sheet
• Live Results (Also available on MeetMobile)
• 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

Two ‘A’ finals in 25 minutes? It’s no problem for Alex Shackell who claimed back-to-back victories in the 100 butterfly and 200 freestyle during night 3 of 2023 Winter Juniors – East.

Let’s take things one race at a time. In prelims of the 100 butterfly, the 17-year-old Shackell fired off a meet record and personal best time of 50.28. Between that time and her wickedly fast 49.25 split on Carmel’s 400 medley relay, it seemed she was on the cusp of a big swim in tonight’s final.

And that’s exactly what happened as she obliterated the 50-second barrier for the first time in her career. She tore away from the field with an opening 23.03 split and continued to distance herself on the back half en route to the win and a new meet record of 49.49.

Alex Shackell Split Comparison:

The swim makes Shackell the #2 performer in the U.S. girls’ 17-18 age group, slotting in between Tokyo Olympians Claire Curzan (49.24) and Torri Huske (49.70).

But Shackell did not have time to rest on her laurels. On the livestream one could see her quickly hop out of the pool and move along. After the medal ceremony she had a tight turn around to her next race, the 200 freestyle.

She did not waste any time in that event either, jumping quickly out to a lead ahead of Rylee Erisman and Lillie Nesty. She was the only one in the field under 24 seconds after the first 50 with a 23.54 split and the only one under 50 seconds at the halfway point (49.27).

Nesty split 26.53 on the last 50 yards which closed her gap to Shackell by a few tenths but the Carmel swimmer was too far ahead. Shackell grabbed her second win of the session with a 1:42.72. That’s her second fastest performance behind only the 1:42.28 she threw down leading off Carmel’s 800 freestyle relay. Her lead-off split ranks her #5 all-time in the U.S. 17-18 age group.

Shackell ended her night by leading off Carmel’s winning 200 freestyle relay. She shaved two-hundredths off her personal best with a 21.71 as she earned her third gold medal of the session.

You can watch both races here, courtesy of USA Swimming: