2020 MR BGNW MARLINS OCTOBER INVITATIONAL
- October 10th-12th, 2020
- Boys and Girls Club North Westchester Marlins
- Short Course Yards (SCY) format
- Results
The Boys and Girls Club North Westchester Marlins hosted the 2020 BGNW Marlins October Invitational over the past weekend, hosting swimmer aged 6 to 18.
The meet’s most significant race came in the form of a 500-yard freestyle prelim by Westchester Aquatic Club’s Claire Weinstein. Weinstein swam to a 4:44.95 in the event, breaking the 13-14 Metro record which was previously held by Cavan Gormsen in 4:45.42. The swim also puts her at #2 all-time in the US for the 500-yard freestyle, sitting behind Claire Tuggle’s 4:41.36 from 2018.
Claire Weinstein 500 Freestyle Splits (Prelim);
| 50 | 26.95 | 100 | 55.68 |
| 150 | 1:24.23 | 200 | 1:53.05 |
| 250 | 2:21.44 | 300 | 2:49.83 |
| 350 | 3:18.37 | 400 | 3:47.20 |
| 450 | 4:16.43 | 500 | 4:44.95 |
With the swim, Weinstein also set a new pool record.
She returned to swim the 500 free in the final and added a few seconds, winning the race with a 4:47.04. In second and third were Weinstein’s teammates Alexa Reyna (4:50.10) and Izzy Vega (5:02.17), both 14.
Weinstein is already making an impact in the 13-14 age group following a solid showing as an 11/12-year-old. Last season, Weinstein was among the fastest of her age in the nation in the 200, 500, 1000, and 1650 yard freestyle, along with the long course 100, 200, 400, 800, and 1500 freestyle, and 200 and 400 IM. Notably, in July of 2019 Weinstein raced to a 17:37.38 in the 1500 freestyle, and later that year, she became the fourth-fastest 11-12-year-old in the 1000 yard freestyle when she swam a 10:06.67 at the 2019 NCAP Invitational.
Earlier this season, Weinstein swam best times in the 200-yard freestyle, backstroke, and breaststroke at the 2020 Badger Swim Club and BGNW dual meet in September. There, she swam the 1:49.61, 2:03.75, and 2:28.34, respectively.
Swimming for the Boys & Girls Club of Northern Westchester, Sabrina Johnston also had a strong showing at the meet this past weekend. Johnston raced to victory in 4 events in the 15 & over age group; the 50 and 100-yard freestyle, 100 and 200-yard backstroke.
Sabrina Johnston Winning Times (15 & Over);
- 50 freestyle: 23.66
- 100 freestyle: 50.52
- 100 backstroke: 55.23
- 200 backstroke: 2:01.02
All four of those times were quick enough to give Johnston the pool record in those events, with the 100 freestyle notching a new club record, improving upon her previous record of 50.97.
A third victor at the meet was 13-year-old Kate Fedor from Zeus Swim Team. Zeus finished first in the 13-14 100 and 200 freestyle, 100 and 200 backstroke, and the 200 IM.
Kate Fedor Winning Times (13-14);
- 100 freestyle: 54.44
- 200 freestyle: 1:59.24
- 100 backstroke: 59.81
- 200 backstroke: 2:08.83
- 200 IM: 2:17.75
On the boy’s side of the meet, 14-year-old Connor McHugh of Boys & Girls Club of Northern Westchester swam four events, winning two. He won the 13-14 200 yard freestyle (1:47.93) and 100 butterfly (53.98). In the 50 freestyle and 200 breaststroke, he was second with a 23.19 and 2:20.13, respectively.
Beating McHugh in the 50 freestyle was Zeus Swim Team’s Mike Kvashchuk. The 14-year-old swim was the only sub-23 50 freestyle in the final, winning with a 22.43. Kvashchuk was also victorious in the 100 freestyle with a 49.18. Further, he finished second in the 200 backstroke (2:08.41), third in the 200 freestyle (1:51.92), third in the 200 IM (2:09.70), and fifth in the 100 backstroke (1:00.03).
In the 15 & Over age group, 16-year-old Boys & Girls Club of Northern Westchester swimmer Evan Liu won the 50 and 100 freestyle swimming a 21.75 in the 50, a 46.96 in the 100. Liu also went on to win the 200 IM in a 1:53.45 and raced the 100 backstroke, swimming a 52.05 in the final.
In what was one of the largest margins of victory this weekend, 18-year-old John Laidlaw won the 500 freestyle in a 4:39.85 nearly 20 seconds ahead of second-place finisher Michael Cowenhoven (4:59.40). Despite the gap, Laidlaw was still a few seconds off his best in the 500; a 4:32.62 from the 2018 NC TAC TITANS Blizzard B meet.
She is behind Woodhead and Tuggle at age 13.
Congratulations to Claire and Coach Carle Fierro of the Westchester Aquatic Club. So many championship have come from her program. It’s a magical program with a Coach who is tireless and lives to see her kids do well.
Yeah this program is a perfect example of the fact that there are some powerhouse age group coaches who are every bit as valuable as the HS/college coaches they hand the swimmers off to.
This is the same program that Kate Douglass, among many others, came from. Too many good swimmers to be a happy accident.
Wow. Unbelievable! If I name my daughter “Claire” will she be insanely fast?