2015 SPEEDO WINTER JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS – EAST
Alex Walsh was not ready to call it a weekend after taking down Missy Franklin‘s 200 IM national age group record last night. Instead, the fourteen-year-old dropped nearly nearly three seconds in a single day to take another national age group record, this time in the 100 back. She posted a 51.62 to win the event tonight at Speedo Winter Junior Championships- West.
She took down the record by over a second. It was previously held by Kathleen Baker, who swam a 52.87, back in 2012.
Walsh went out in 25.25, just ahead of her closest competitor Kaitlin Harty‘s 25.43. She came back in 26.37, beating out Harty at the touch by just .05 seconds for the gold.
She also qualified third in the 100 breast this morning, but she decided to scratch it for tonight to focus on this event.
Walsh currently holds national age group records in the short course 11-12 200 back, 200 breast, and 100 IM, and she is a member of the long course relay record-holder in the 13-14 400 medley alongside teammates Ella Nelson, Kallie Chelsvig, and Lauren Hurt. This is her second individual 13-14 record, after the 200 IM last night.
Walsh swims for the Nashville Aquatic Club, and is coached by John Morse.
Tomorrow, she will take on the 200 back.
Shocking! Apparently a smart move o scratch the breast!
She’s very close to the 15/16 NAG record of 51.53 by Bootsma! 🙂
I expected a 52 low after her 1.00.84 in long course last summer but not a sub 52 like that.
Amazing race.
The 200 back is gonna be very interesting against Kaitlin Harty who is back at her best and is more a 200 back swimmer.