Not that anybody’s ever made this mistake, but the newly-renamed NCAP program, formerly CUBU, reaches its success with junior swimmers far beyond Olympic Champion Katie Ledecky. The latest is 16-year old Janet Hu, who in prelims of Thrusday’s first day of the 2012 USA Swimming Winter Nationals, in short course yards, broke the 15-16 National Age Group Record in the 50 free.
Hu has been making waves since last year’s winter rest meet, the Tom Dolan Invitational, but this sudden explosion in the 50 was still a big surprise. Her previous best time was just 22.77, meaning that in a single swim she jumped from 25th to 1st all-time in the age group. She’s also a fantastic backstroker and butterflier, so watch for the 100 yard races of those events later in the meet.
The old record was held by the Baylor School’s Kristen Vredeveld in 22.17. Olivia Smoliga (who also was a 22.13 in prelims) broke the National High School Record earlier this year, but Hu could make short work of it with two high school championships left in her career. She’s just a junior in high school.
1. 22.13 Janet Hu
2. 22.17 Kristen Vredeveld
3. 22.24 Maddy Schaefer
4. 22.25 p Missy Franklin4
5. 22.36 Matthew Horner 2011
6. 22.39 Amanda Weir 2003
Congrats to Janet Hu for this great time! And especially just after the 200 IM! Imagine without that she could have swum under 22 seconds.
She’s a big talent and she’s much better for now in short course thanks to her huge underwaters. I haven’t seen her so efficient in long course yet. We’ll see.
Bond, the new record is 1:45.1 Gunnar went that this morning.
Watch out for Andrew Seliskar tonight in the 200 IM. He is about a second off from Ryan Murphy’s 15-16 200 IM NAG of 1:45.7, so it would be a stretch but not impossible.
Well…guess I missesd that Gunnar Bentz is still 16! Looks like he got to it first with a 1:45.1. Amazing swim!
You mean Gunnar Bentz’s record of 1:45.17.
Didn’t Gunnar Bentz from Dynamo Swim Club in prelims break Murphy’s age group record by half a second (1:45.17)?
NCAP and DYNAMO really impressed me through the first session of this meet.
Congratulations to Janet! Great swimming.