Mason Manta Ray Carl Bloebaum Lights It Up At ISCA Summer Senior Blast

2021 ISCA Summer Senior Blast

• July 27-31, 2021
• North Shore Pool, St. Petersburg, FL
• LCM (50m)
• Results on Meet Mobile: “2021 ISCA Summer Senior Blast”

Mason Manta Rays’ Carl Bloebaum was among the top performers at the 2021 ISCA Summer Senior Blast in St. Petersburg, Florida over the weekend, winning four individual events and earning four more victories on relays.

The 17-year-old actually lowered personal best times in five of the six individual events he swam, plus another in the 100 free leading off the men’s 400 free relay.

Bloebaum completed the men’s butterfly triple, winning the 50 (24.35), 100 (52.60) and 200 fly (1:58.04), moving him into a tie for ninth all-time among 17-18 boys in the 100 fly and 13th in the 200. His previous best times in the fly events stood at 26.57, 53.14 and 1:58.90, respectively.

Bloebaum’s previous best in that 200 fly was set at Wave I of the U.S. Olympic Trials, where he made his presence felt by winning the event and moving on to Wave II.

The Virginia Tech commit also dropped a second to win the men’s 200 back (2:03.23), led off the winning 400 free relay in a 100 free PB of 51.78, and took off more than three seconds to place second to Anthony Grimm (26.18) in the 50 back (26.76).

Bloebaum’s Manta Ray teammate Braden Osborn had a strong showing with a pair of wins of his own, claiming the men’s 50 free (23.35) and 100 free (51.16) which both stand up as best times.

Empire Swimming’s John Kelly swept the men’s breaststroke events, putting up respective times of 28.48, 1:03.05 and 2:17.75 in the 50, 100 and 200.

Tide Swimming’s Kayla Wilson and Samantha Tadder were the top performers on the women’s side, winning three individual events apiece.

Wilson, 17, came out on top in the 200 free (2:02.12), 400 free (4:15.65) and 200 back (2:13.52), while the 18-year-old Tadder claimed the 200 breast (2:32.97), 200 IM (2:16.08) and 400 IM (4:48.36).

Wilson’s swim in the 400 free marked a three-second best time, while the 200 back was nearly four seconds under her career-best.

OTHER MULTI-EVENT WINNERS

• Cheshire Y Sea Dog Swim Club member Catherine Buroker, 21, swept the women’s 800 (8:57.57) and 1500 freestyles (17:10.00).
• Buroker’s teammate Mia Leko won the 100 (1:01.51) 200 fly (2:14.76).
• Another CDOG swimmer, Alexandra Tyler, was strong in the sprints, winning the women’s 50 free (26.17) and 50 back (30.32).
• Kaelyn Gridley of New Trier Aquatics topped the women’s 50 (32.54) and 100 breaststroke (1:11.20).
• Saint Petersburg Aquatics’ Benjamin Cote was a distance dynamo on the men’s side, winning the 1500 free (15:35.11) early in the meet and the 400 IM (4:26.96) towards the end. The swim in the mile was a best time by 11 seconds.
• Victor Rosado edged out Cote, his teammate, in the 400 free by a few tenths in 3:59.50, and also came out with a win in the 200 free (1:53.52). Both were new PBs, including the 400 marking his first time sub-4:00.