In our GMX7 Weekly Wonders of Age Group Swimming series, we celebrate swimmers of every age and experience level with age group profiles of some recent results.
Brady Campbell, 12, Mason Manta Rays (OH-RAYS): Campbell broke the six-year-old Mason Manta Rays club record in the boys’ 11-12 50 freestyle (SCY) at an intrasquad meet on Oct. 2, clocking 23.46 to break Adam Chaney‘s 2015 mark of 23.55. Chaney, now a top swimmer at the University of Florida in the NCAA, owns every other age group team record in the 50 free (8 & under, 9-10, 13-14, 15-16, 17-18 and Open). Campbell’s previous best time was 23.95, set in March. Campbell also produced best times in the 50 back (28.40), 50 breast (32.63) and 50 fly (26.11), with the fly time just .03 off the Mason Manta Ray record held by Carl Bloebaum.
Blake Amlicke, 15, Nashville Aquatic Club (SE-NAC): Amlicke put up the fastest time in the men’s 200 backstroke at the 2021 SE October Open, with the 15-year-old clocking 1:51.95 to shatter his previous best of 1:58.33 set in January. Despite the drastic drop in yards, a performance of this nature could’ve been seen coming given Amlicke’s 2:10.69 long course swim in July at the Southeastern LC Championships.
Andy Kravchenko, 14, Rockets Swimming (FL-ROCO): The 14-year-old Kravchenko blasted four very impressive swims at the Cape Coast Conference Championships in Florida, including setting lifetime bests in the boys’ 100 free (45.93), 50 back (23.91) and 100 back (51.08). The 100 free time ranks Kravchenko 39th all-time in the boys’ 13-14 age group, and the 100 back puts him 100th. He also finished one tenth off his lifetime best in the 50 free, clocking 20.95. His 20.85 PB, set in March, ranks 30th in age group history.
Lucy Velte, 12, Ad Astra Area Aquatics (MV-AAAA): The 12-year-old Velte put up eight personal best times at the Ad Astra Area Aquatics Senior Circuit meet, highlighted by her 57.97 swim in the 100 backstroke. That time breaks her into the top 100 in girls’ 11-12 age group history, ranking 97th (notably one spot ahead of Kate Douglass), and marked a PB by almost three seconds (old best was 1:00.74).
Aliana Marakovic, 14, Nitro Swimming (ST-NTRO): Marakovic went five-for-five in lifetime bests at the Longhorn Aquatics 11 & Over Fall Kick-Off at the beginning of October, including a four-second best in the 500 free. Marakovic touched in a time of 4:56.33, marking her first time under 5:00 and leading the field by nearly 10 seconds.
Kate Hotem, 14, NOVA of Virginia Aquatics, Inc. (VA-NOVA): Hotem also had a perfect meet in terms of best times at the 757swim IMR/IMX Season Kickoff Meet in Virginia, with the highlight being her 200 back performance. Hotem dropped a time of 2:00.93, slicing 1.7 seconds off her previous PB of 2:02.66 set in March.
David McCagg, World Champion swimmer and GMX7 Founder
About GMX7
Founded in 2018, GMX7 is based in St. Petersburg, Florida and is dedicated to changing the world of swimming by empowering competitive swimmers with the best aquatic resistance training devices ever created. GMX7 was founded by David McCagg, a 7-time gold medalist, former world record holder and winner of multiple national championships. The first device on the market by GMX7 is the X1-PRO. Designed by ROBRADY Engineering, it has already been the recipient of several awards including the 2020 International Design Excellence Award and the 2020 Red Dot Award for product design.
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