Guayanese SC Worlds Qualifier Raekwon Noel Swims 49.62 1Fly PB At SJISA Coaches Invite

2023 SJISA Coaches’ Invite — Division B

• January 21, 2023
• SCY (25 yards)
• Gloucester County Institute Of Technology, Deptford, New Jersey
• Boys’ Results
• Girls’ Results

Last weekend, the Division B rendition of the 2023 SJISA coaches’ invite took place, featuring some of the top high school teams from Southern New Jersey.

One of the big highlights of the meet was Highland High School junior Raekwon Noel, who swam a massive time of 49.62 in the boys’ 100 fly to win his race by nearly three seconds. His time was a 0.1 seconds improvement from his previous personal best of 49.72, and got under the All-American consideration time of 49.77. In addition, he also shattered Zach Fong‘s SJISA Division B record time of 50.36 from 2015. Fong went onto become a first-team All American at the University of Virginia.

Noel has seen a tremendous improvement curve in the 100 fly this season, jumping from a personal best of 50.79 from March 2022 to a 49.62 in January 2023. Internationally, he represents Guyana and competed for them at the 2022 World Junior Championships and the 2021 Short Course World Championships. At World Juniors this summer, he placed 26th in the 100 fly with a time of 57.13.

The second All-American consideration time produced at this meet came from Haddonfield High School senior and Stanford commit Henry McFadden, who won the 200 free by over four seconds in a time of 1:39.59. His personal best in the event stands at a 1:33.07, which he swam to take first at the Winter Juniors-East meet in December 2022.

In addition, McFadden also won the 100 free by over a second, swimming a 46.32. He has been as fast as 44.27 in the event.

McFadden was fresh off his standout performance from the Knoxville TYR Pro Swim Series, where he most notably ran down U.S. National teamers like Gabriel Jett and Kieran Smith in the 200 free to take the win in a time of 1:47.23, which makes him the sixth-fastest 17-18 year old ever.

On the girls’ side of the meet, a standout performer was Bishop Eustace freshman Alyce Lehman. She won the 100 fly in a time of 56.57, breaking Christine Gallagher’s SJISA Division B record time of 57.21 from 2019. Lehman, who swims for the Jersey Wahoos club, was just 0.2 seconds off her personal best time of 56.37 set in December 2022. This season, she has improved over a second from her 2021-22 season best of 57.60.

Lehman also won the 200 IM, swimming a time of 2:09.17. Her personal best in the event is a 2:07.12.