The Middle Atlantic SC Senior Championships are taking place this weekend in York, PA. and have already given way to some extremely fasts swimming including some meet records.
On day one Andrew Abruzzo took the 1000 freestyle with a 9:05.88. He went on to take two more golds the following day with wins in the 200 free (1:40.00) and the 400 IM (3:51.30). In the 400 IM he took down 15-year-old breaststroke star Reece Whitley. Whitley had an incredible meet. In the 400 IM he was second with a 3:55.25 sporting a 1:03.99 breaststroke split.
Other than the 400 IM, Whitley also competed in his focus events: the breaststrokes. In the 100 he was a very quick 54.00 to win the race by over three seconds. The closest competitor to him, another 15-year-old, clocked in at 57.06 for second place.
In the 200 Whitley was absolutely on fire and dropped the second fastest 200 breaststroke ever swum by somebody in the 15-16 year-old age-group. Whitley stopped the clock at 1:55.44 to squeeze in for another win, this time on day three.
Whitley was the most dominant in the breaststroke, although he wasn’t able to beat Abruzzo in the IMs. Abruzzo was taken down twice on day three however, as Zachary Fong beat him in the 200 fly by a small margin. Fong came in with a 1:47.37 to beat Abruzzo’s 1:47.78 and take the title. Abruzzo also finished second in the 500 freestyle where Michael Thomas beat him in another close race.
Thomas rocked a 4:23.53 to win over Abruzzo who touched in at 4:25.70.
Other than Abruzzo and Whitley, Michael Jensen was the only other swimmer to grab two wins. Jensen won both the 50 free (20.29) and the 100 backstroke (49.07).
On the women’s side there were also some close races as well as rivalries. Allison Raab was responsible for making the most waves at the meet, winning a few events and setting some new meet records. Raab won the 100 breast in 1:01.93. In that race she took down Emily Sykes by a long shot. Sykes was all the way back in 1:05.13 for second.
Raab and Sykes faced off once more in the 100 fly where Raab got the better of her once again. Raab was a 56.34 at the wall to stop the clock. Her time was a 1.25 second drop from her prelim swim. This time, Sykes was a lot closer and trailed slightly at the end with a 56.49. Sykes was ahead at the 50 and Raab had to chase her down to secure that win.
Raab also won the 200 fly and 200 breaststroke in 2:03.15 and 2:14.67 respectively. Sykes did manage to get her own individual gold to go with the two silvers she recieved finishing behind Raab after taking the 400 IM in 4:28.10.
Another rivalry began to shape up on the women’s side as Shannon McKernan took down Sienne Salvaggio in two events. In the 50 freestyle McKernan was a 23.35 to top Salvaggio’s 23.63. In the 100 back she was a 55.91 to win the race. Salvaggio was second in 56.09. McKernan also won the 200 free in 1:48.12.
One day remains in the meet.
Did anyone notice the new GA coach eating a plate of food and not watching his 2 girls in the 100 breast finals? What’s going on over there at GA? Who is that new coach?
GA swimming is finished. They fired everyone and hired a coach from the Midwest who has produced zero national level swimmers in his 20 + year career. There are so many good local coaches. Why didn’t they consider someone with local ties?
I agree that GA is clueless. They fired the best High School coach in Pennsylvania history, and arguably US history.
Then, they bring in an unknown (Jeff Thompson) with no results who, from what I hear is a walking disaster who is causing the GA community to look elsewhere to swim. I also have heard from my friends at GA that Fenerty wants to erase all of the history of GA swimming. He removed all the photos of the olympians GA produced from the pool as well as all of the team pictures from Shoulberg’s office. GA ought to be ashamed. I always was envious of the success of GA swimming and never liked how they crushed us year… Read more »
15 y/o Abruzzo with a great 3:51 400 IM. Seli does go a 1:01.19 in the 100 LC breast. I think Reece will overtake him though, eventually.
You’re right. There’s a big difference between a 3:46 and a 3:51. Awesome swim by Michael Thomas. He’s going to be a great addition to Cal. Hats off to UDAC for a great meet.
Abbruzzo may have won the 400 IM, but Michael Thomas dropped a 3:46….from the B heat.
Don’t forget 13 year old Vinny Marciano and his 58.58 LCM 100 back. He also went 1:58.80 200 free and 24.69 50 free.
http://results.teamunify.com/nsss/results/Sectionals/march2015/
In addition to a very successful SC Jo’s last week (21.3, 46.5, 1:41.6 freestyles and 50.8, 1:52 backstrokes)
http://results.teamunify.com/njbac/
Whitley is 6’6 or 6’7
How tall is Reece?
I read on swimvortex he’s 6’8 and 235 lbs.
I heard his stroke counts were 2, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4… which if true is fantastic/insane/etc.
As positive as our breaststroke situation looks right now with Cordes, Fink, Licon, Miller, Vissering, and Prenot… I think they are all going to end up fighting for second when this guy matures in 2020… Probably by 2018 he will be our big gun internationally.
don’t forget about seliskar
Not so much LC…
I wouldn’t say that Seliscar is that much of a threat in breast
2!?!?! 4 the rest of the way!?!?!
I’m 6’4″ with a 6’8″ wingspan, but these tall guys (Cordes and Whitley) with their crazy stroke counts in breastroke seem unfathomable to me. It really puts into perspective how elite the elites are.
How do they do it? Is it mainly the ability to maintain an incredibly streamlined position? Freakish strength (doubt it for the young Whitley)? Something else?
Right? I agree Reece isn’t super strong yet. I think what amazes me about him is the way he travels through the water. He hits a really strong line… obviously he’s got a sweet kick but he’s not crazy with the pullouts… yet.