2021 USA SWIMMING FUTURES CHAMPIONSHIPS – HUNTSVILLE
- July 28-August 1, 2021
- Huntsville Aquatic Center, Huntsville, Alabama
- Prelims/Finals
- 50 meters (LCM)
- Psych Sheet
- Results on MeetMobile: “2021 Futures Championships – Huntsville”
United State’s Junior National Team member Rye Ulett kicked off the final day of racing in Huntsville as she claimed the women’s 200 IM title. Her time in the race was just under her previous lifetime best, as she touched first in 2:16.76.
For Ulett, that swim is a significant improvement from her performance in the event at Wave II of the Olympic Trials. At that meet, she was nearly three seconds slower, touching 48th in 2:19.66. Her time from this weekend would have moved her to 28th. She is currently the 88th fastest performer in the event all-time for the 15-16 age group.
The 16-year-old wasn’t done after claiming her first title of the day, as she went on to pick up another win in the 200 back at the end of the session. Ulett finished that race in 2:13.55, with her lifetime best sitting at 2:09.70 from the 2019 Summer Nationals. Ulett’s fastest time since entering the 15-16 age group is 2:12.23, set this past March at the GA Dynamo Long Course Elite Meet.
In the men’s 200 IM, Owen McDonald touched in the fastest time of 2:03.80 for the title. The Dynamo Swim Club member’s time was a two-second improvement on his lifetime best coming into the meet (2:05.97) and would have qualified him to swim the event at Wave I of the Olympic Trials.
The only athlete to dip below 26.0, Ella Welch took the 50 free title in a time of 25.82. That swim falls just .13 shy of the 17-year-old’s lifetime best set in March (25.69).
In the men’s race, it was Macguire McDuff who came away with the fastest time in the event. McDuff, who will be joining the Florida Gators this fall, touched in 23.03, good for a new lifetime best. He is a multiple-time state finalist in two states, having begun his high school career in West Virginia prior to moving to Florida. In West Virginia, he won the state title in both the 100 and 200 freestyles in 2019 while in Florida he was a medalist in both the 50 and 100 free at the 4A state championship meet last fall.
One of the top recruits in the class of 2022, NC State commit Lance Norris finished out his meet by winning the title in the 200 back. Norris touched in a lifetime best of 1:59.98, topping teammate Braeden Haughey, who was the runner-up in 2:00.84.
The meet’s final day also featured it’s second distance session in the afternoon, with the women racing the 1500 and the men contesting the 800. Julia Brzozowski claimed the women’s title in the 1500 in 17.11.25, a PB by .01, while the men’s 800 went to Nicholas Caruso in 8:07.50. Caruso now ranks 77th all-time for the 17-18 age group in the event.
One to watch is Catie Choate, she had the second highest points score for the meet and picked up 2 more trials cuts. She is in the class of 2023 and now ranks 2nd in the state of GA (collegeswimming) and 32nd for the class.
It was a very impressive meet for Dynamo, the women won the championship meet and were also close to the 15-18 NAG on the 400 Medley Relay with a time of 4:08.92, which is a new GA state record.
Uletts best time in 200 back is 2:09, not 2:12.