Matt Fallon Scares Phelps’ 15-16 400 IM NAG On Day 3 of YNats

2019 YMCA SHORT COURSE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

• April 1-5, 2019
• Greensboro, NC
• Meet Site
• 2018 Champions: Sarasota (Combined)/Cheshire (Women)/Sarasota (Men)
• SCY (25y) course
• Psych Sheet
• Live Stream
• Results Page

Matt Fallon of Somerset Valley YMCA swam his second #2 time in the 15-16 all-time age group rankings, this time in the 400 IM. This morning, Fallon swam a 3:49.53, moving him to #19 on the rankings. In finals, Fallon zipped down to 3:44.08, now the 2nd-fastest time in the 15-16 age group. Fallon is now just 2 seconds off of Michael Phelps’ 2002 NAG of 3:42.08. Fallon also took down Ross Dant‘s meet record from this morning by 2 seconds. Dant, of Hickory YMCA, finished second in the race with a 3:46.50, also under his morning swim and now-former record time.

Brendan Burns of Upper Main Line YMCA also set a new YMCA meet record in the 200 free. Burns won the event with a 1:34.15, dropping 4 seconds from prelims and taking down Grant House’s 2017 mark of 1:34.52. Last year, Burns won the 100 back, but swam the 200 free this year and still maintained a day 3 title. Burns’ time is now the 17th-fastest time in the 17-18 age group.

Tomorrow, Fallon and Burns will have an epic showdown in the 200 IM. Fallon is the top seed with a 1:48.92, Burns seeded right behind with a 1:49.76.

Other Day 2 Winners

• Paige Hetrick of Bradford YMCA won 2 events this evening, defending one of her 2018 titles in the 200 free (1:45.73). Before defending her 200 free title, Hetrick’s first victory of the day was in the 100 back, winning in a 52.83. Both of her times just cracked the top 100 in the 17-18 all-time rankings.
• Auglaize Mercer YMCA’s Justin Fleagle won the men’s 100 back with a 47.70. Finishing right behind Fleagle was 16-year-old Matthew Brownstead of State College YMCA, whose time of 48.00 is now the 29th-fastest time in 15-16 age group history.
• Emma Weyant of Sarasota YMCA took her second distance win of the meet in the 400 IM after winning the 1000 free on Monday. Weyant won in a 4:07.53, her second time under the 4:10 barrier. That time is now the 28th-fastest 400 IM in the 17-18 age group rankings.
• In the women’s 200 free relay, Triangle Area YMCA and Schroeder YMCA were separated by just 0.01s into the final exchange. Triangle Area’s Lauren Medlin was able to out-split Schroeder’s Sailor Whowell 22.81 to 23.52 to aid her relay’s win with a 1:32.24. Schroeder took second with a 1:32.94. The fastest split of the event was from Triangle Area relay member Hailey Hicks, splitting 22.57.
• In the men’s sprint free relay, Brendan Burns‘ 20.11 lead-off propelled the Upper Main Line YMCA relay into the lead. However, Somerset Hill YMCA’s Jack Alexy (19.83) and Roo Fenton (20.33) made up ground to take over the lead and win with a final time of 1:22.06. Upper Main Line took second in a 1:22.99. Defending 50 free champ David Curtiss (Hamilton Area YMCA) had the quickest split of the evening with a 19.41. Tomorrow, Curtiss will compete in the 50 free.

Team Scores After Day 3

After leading on day 2, the Greater Spartanburg YMCA women have passed up Sarasota Family YMCA in the team race, leading by 26 points. On the men’s side, Somerset Hills YMCA currently leads with the help of Fallon’s 400 IM win. Upper Main Line YMCA and Triangle Area YMCA are also within striking distance.

Top 5 Women

1. Greater Spartanburg YMCA          211   
2. Sarasota Family YMCA              185
3. Red Bank Branch YMCA              150   
4. Reading and Berks County YMCA     117
5. Boise Family YMCA                 108

Top 5 Men

1. Somerset Hills YMCA               178   
2. Upper Main Line YMCA              150
3. Triangle Area YMCA                141   
4. Red Bank Branch YMCA              128
5. Greater Spartanburg YMCA          109