2019 AZ LC Age Group State Championships
- July 18-21, 2019
- Oro Valley, Arizona
- Oro Valley Aquatic Center
- Meet Central
- Results on Meet Mobile
Keaton Jones of Swim Neptune hit a 2020 Olympic Trials Cut and scared the boys 13-14 National Age Group Record in the 200 backstroke at the Arizona Age Group State Championships on Friday.
After a 2:03.50 in the prelims, narrowly missing his previous personal best of 2:03.01, Jones dropped a 2:01.20 in the final. That put the 14-year-old well under the Trials Cut of 2:02.99, and fell just over two-tenths shy of the NAG held by Josh Zuchowski at 2:00.97.
Zuchowski’s swim from March broke Aaron Peirsol‘s 21-year-old record of 2:02.78 set back in 1998, and Jones now moves past Peirsol into #2 all-time in the age group. Previously, Jones sat fourth.
All-Time Top Five, Boys 13-14 200 Backstroke
- Josh Zuchowski, 2:00.97
- Keaton Jones, 2:01.20
- Aaron Peirsol, 2:02.78
- Ryan Murphy, 2:02.86
- Destin Lasco, 2:03.28
Jones with Coach Popa (via Joe Zemaitis)
“Keaton has been working hard all year and had a laser focus on this event,” said his coach Alex Popa. “He has big goals and is willing to put in the work to make it happen.”
Since the beginning of the season, Jones has knocked eight seconds off the Arizona State Record in the event. It previously belonged to Colin Gafney who went 2:09.20 back in 1998.
In addition to the 200 back, he also set new best times in the 200 free (1:58.01), 1500 free (16:40.19), 50 back (28.08), and 400 IM (4:36.43) at the competition.
He’s gonna break 100-200 back WRs.
Mark my words.
How about Joshua Zuchowski? Will they break the WRs in turn?
Way too early to tell. When he’s 17 or so we can get a better read on him. Maybe his improvement curve will flatten way out, or maybe he really will be an elite international swimmer.
Go Neptune!!
Look at his feet in the picture with his coach. They’re like natural flippers!
That’s the first thing I noticed too! Oars for feet!
All of life is a simulation!
Actually pretty impressed that for someone whose top 50 back time is 28.0, he is able to go a 201.2 in the 200 back.
Or a 1:58 in the 200 free!
I’ve never seen someone that fast with such a small gap between bk and fr times.
I know a girl who goes 2:01 200 fly sc and 1:58 free
He flipped at 28.5 for the first 50 of his 200
That is awesome.
He went out in 27:9 for his 57:86 in the 100 back this morning. We will see what he has left for the finals tonight.
He’s 14. He’ll have plenty in the tank.