Kennedi Dobson And Eric Lee Shine At New Jersey Swimming 11 And Over Gold Championship

2023 New Jersey Swimming 11 & Over Gold Championship

• March 17-19, 2023
• Werblin Recreation Center, New Brunswick, NJ
• SCY (25 yards)
• Results on MeetMobile: “2023 NJS & SCAR 11 & Over Gold Championship”

Scarlet Aquatics hosted the 2023 New Jersey Swimming 11 & Over Gold Championships earlier this month at Rutgers University. Scarlet Aquatics dominated the meet in the combined team standings, scoring a grand total of 6160 points by the end of the weekend.

Combined Team Scores:

1. Scarlet Aquatics – 6160
2. Metro Area Life Time Swimming  – 2728.5
3. Cougar Aquatic Team – 1758.5

Kennedi Dobson from Eastern Express won four events in the girls’ 15 and over age group. Dobson, 16, clocked a 1:57.80 in prelims the 200 backstroke, marking a personal best time by a second and a half. Dobson also logged a best time of 16:51.87 en route to her victory in the 1650, as she dropped five seconds from her previous best she set at this meet last year. She was slightly off her PBs in her other winning events, including the 200 free (1:46.67) and 400 IM (4:19.56).

Northwestern commit Kate Hurst picked up two victories of her own, highlighted by a best time in the 500 free. Hurst stopped the clock at 4:46.32, which would have made her Northwestern’s 3rd-fastest performer in the event this past season Her other win was in the 200 fly, where she set a personal best by two seconds for a 2:01.65 in prelims.  

For the older boys, Scarlet Aquatics’ Eric Lee led the way with three event wins. Lee, who will head to Harvard this fall, clocked a best time of 1:45.33 in the 200 backstroke. He also dropped half a second in the 100 back (48.69) and a few hundredths in the 100 breast (56.02). Lee’s performance in the 200 backstroke would have made him Harvard’s 4th-best performer in the event this year.

13-year-old Kim Tran from Metro Area Life Time Swimming posted strong performances in the breaststroke events. She dropped over nearly a second in the 100 breaststroke to clock a 1:03.83, ranking her 16th for 13-14 year-old girls this year. She also took a second off her 200 breast for a 2:18.91, topping the field by over two seconds. 

Connor Hong won five events in the boys’ 13-14 category. Hong, who swims with Scarlet Aquatics, dropped nearly five seconds in the 400 IM to log a 4:05.66. He completed his IM sweep with a best time in the 200, shaving off a second to stop the clock at 1:55.51. 

11-year-old Ethan Han from Whitewaters Swim Team highlighted the boys’ 11-12 age group with eight individual victories. He had his largest time drop in the 200 free, where he dropped nearly three seconds to post a 1:55.27. He also dropped over two seconds in the 400 IM, clocking a 4:42.52 to clear the field by over five seconds. 

Han also posted big best times in the backstroke events. He touched first in the 100 at 58.54, and took over two seconds off his best time in the 200 to swim a 2:11.89. Rounding out his victories was the 200 IM (2:10.93), 500 free (5:15.62),100 free (52.99), and 100 IM (1:00.09), with all of them being personal bests as well. 

Scarlet Aquatics’ Lainee Su won all nine of her individual events. Su, 12, took over a second and a half off her best time in the 100 free to post a 54.61. Su also clocked personal bests in the 50 free (25.24), 100 IM (1:01.33),  50 back (27.70), and 200 back (2:12.56). Su’s additional victories included the 100 back (1:01.28), 50 fly (27.15), 200 IM (2:14.59), and 100 fly (1:00.49), though they were not best times.