On Friday night at the 2013 Columbia Sectional Championship meet, a pair of young swimmers lit up the brightest stage in the 100 meter breaststrokes.
First it was Olivia Calegan, a 13-year old from Lincoln Select Swimming in Nebraska, who was a 1:12.54 in the 100 meter breaststroke. That’s one of the 10-best times ever done by a 13-year old, and moves her into the top 60 on the all-time age group list despite being on the younger end of that group. That race was won by Bryce Hinde, a sophomore at Kansas, in 1:11.91.
Shortly thereafter, 14-year old professional swimmer Michael Andrew swam a 1:05.93 in the 100 breaststroke to place 5th, and move into the 6th-rank all-time in the 13-14 Top-100 rankings. The victory there went to Arizona commit Gage Crosby in 1:03.58, just missing his lifetime best. He likely has an end-of-summer taper goal at the U.S. Open before heading off to train with Kevin Cordes next fall.
Andrew has also been 52.8 in the 100 free (in a swim-off), 2:09.1 in the 200 back, and a 59.0 in the 100 back to place 9th overall.
Other winners on Friday include Eegan Groome from the University of Missouri, who was a 3:58.25 to top the men’s 400 free. The Tigers got another victory from Mack Darragh who won the 200 fly by over two seconds in 2:00.89. Darragh is a Canadian National, and opted to stay at home and train over going to Canadian Summer Nationals this week. This time was just half-a-second away from what he went at Canada’s World Championship Trials in April.
Dominique Bouchard, who like Darragh is both Canadian and a Missouri Tiger, won the women’s 100 backstroke in 1:01.19. The top junior swimmer was Courtney Caldwell from Lawrence, Kansas, as she placed 3rd in 1:03.68.
Tennessee commit Heather Lundstrom won the girls’ 200 fly in 2:15.46, followed by 16-year old Rilye Fries in 2:17.88. The boys’ 100 back went to Missouri State All-American junior Paul Le in 55.86, topping Missouri rival Logan Mosley, who took 2nd in 57.04. Nebraska High School State Champion Jacob Molacek took 4th in 58.36 as he enters his senior year of high school.
Bailey Pons from Nebraska won the girls’ 400 free in 4:20.57.
Full, live meet results available here.
It will also be interesting to see what happens when he does make a team or the National Select Camp. They won’t train him like he does on a daily basis. According to the SI interview(?) with him, took him a couple days to recover from the Central Zone Select Camp. Will the other experiences during the Select camp be worth the physical toll it takes and training interruption?
Agreed Rick it was great to see. This article doesn’t sum up the weekend Midwestern Swimming had, especially the two days before and yesterday.
DuckDuckGoose, don’t believe making a JR team gets you funding. You get to go on a trip to compete internationally and some gear, that’s about it. If you are top 2, you go to the select camp if I remember correctly. Either way fast swims indeed. Was at the meet, he’s goin pretty fast considering some of the issues within each race: cleaning his strokes up and TURNS. Will be interesting to see what the total package could be like. Example: being strong enough to use his kick to get past flags off the last wall… Read more »
Thanks for the funding clarification, CoachErik. What kind of race schedule does Team Andrew use going forward? There’s flexibility with home schooling and the Euro SCM events could allow him to clean some stuff up, but that’s expensive. He’s not technically proficient yet and he has to gain experience against people he’ll compete against in 2016 and beyond. Those aren’t just today’s juniors.
Though there’s no big stipend like National Team athletes get, being on the Junior National Team isn’t totally without benefits. For example, he’d get to go to the OTC once a year for free.
It is great to see Nebraska swimmers competitive at Sectionals again. Great job, Patrick Rowan, Cal Bentz, Tom Beck and the Baloughs.
Will Mr Andrew swim at the US junior nationals?
I don’t know, but he’s making good progress this spring/summer on his LC swims. He’s solid in every stroke so I’m curious to see what he does in the 200IM today. He comes in with a seed time of 2:09.68 which is a ways off of the NAG record of 2:06.50 held by Phelps.
A 1:05.9 is close to the 100M Breast NAG record of 1:04.74, but given his birthday is in the spring I don’t know if he’ll get a chance next winter to challenge it. He also has the 50m Free today so maybe he can lower that time as well.
http://www.csctigersharks.org/realtime/
Michael Andrew has already swum much faster in the 200 IM a few weeks ago. 2.07.85 in Iowa.
http://swimswam.com/regan-smith-michael-andrew-tear-up-iowa-city-swimpink-meet/
I thought the 13-14 100 br NAG Record was a 1:03.4?
The men’s 100 breast 13/14 NAG record is 1.04.74 by Anthony Robinson in 1994.
BOBO
Just for curiosity I was looking for and could not find
How fast was Gyurta at 14 on 100 and 200 Breast?
Rafael – Gyurta was 1:02.3 and 2:10.75 before turning 15. Yikes.
Wow. Those are some stunning times from young Gyurta.
If he makes the Junior National Team, he gets funded so he’ll swim at Junior Nationals. Other than that, I don’t see why he’d compete in many SCY meets. May build his confidence in winning, but SCYs aren’t relevant to his future since he’s never swimming in high school or the NCAA.
I have 1.02.39 for the 100 breast in 2004 when he’s still 14.
I have 2.13.63 for the 200 breast in 2003 when he’s 14. Mr Keith, 2.10.75 is in Athens when he’s 15. 😉
Rafael, look at this link. I didn’t know this website before today but it’s cool for the rankings and the times of swimmers during all their careers. You can choose Portuguese as language if you want.
http://www.swimrankings.net/index.php?page=athleteDetail&athleteId=1543484
You’re right bobo, the 2:10 was a few months after turning 15.
Easily the best swim statistics site out there. I just wish that all swimmers profiles were displayed the same way as the Europeans.
Exactly sprintdude9000! For example, nothing about Michael Phelps!
impressive nonetheless
Gyurta Phelps and Thorpe 14 15 year old times are probably the craziest Age Records of the world on men side..
GO TIGERS! Great year ahead!