Sandpipers of Nevada Trio Posts Huge Time Drops at 2022 Western Zone Senior Champs

2022 Western Zone Senior Championships

• July 26-31
• Clovis North High School
  • Fresno, California
• LCM
• Results on Meet Mobile: “Finals – Western Zone Senior Champs”

A trio of swimmers from Sandpipers of Nevada lived up to their clubs’ lofty expectations by delivering impressive time drops at the 2022 Western Zone Senior Championships last weekend. 

Caleb Kattau took two seconds off his personal best in the 200-meter butterfly with a 2:06.28. The time ranks him as the third-fastest swimmer this season among 14-year-old boys and 32nd all-time in his 13-14 national age group (NAG). In the 100 fly, Kattau posted a 56.95, improving by more than half a second in just a week to move up to No. 7 this season for his age. His 2:12.59 in the 200 IM ranks him No. 14 this season, while the 4:43.48 he swam in the prelims of the 400 IM saw him drop nearly 12 seconds and climb into the top 20 this season. 

15-year-old Lucy Warnick shaved nearly eight seconds off her previous best 200 breaststroke time from last year, reaching the wall first in 2:33.78. The victory moved her up to No. 6 this season for her age. The Sandpipers standout also won the 100 breast in 1:12.53, good for No. 11 this season. Warnick added personal bests in the 200 IM (2:21.98) and 400 IM (4:58.36). 

Chloe Mudadu improved by almost a full minute since June, a remarkable leap that landed the 17-year-old Sandpipers swimmer at No. 11 on the list of top performers this season nationally for her age. In the 400 free, she took more than 16 seconds off her previous best from May en route to a 4:18.72 that ranks 16th this season. Mudadu added personal bests in the 200 back (2:24.67), 200 free (2:05.38), and 800 free (9:02.44). 

Sandpipers weren’t the only swimmers going fast in Fresno. DK Nakashima swept the 100 breast and 200 breast for his Front Range Barracudas club. He lowered his personal best in the 200 breast by nearly five seconds, clocking a 2:24.41 to come in at No. 5 this season among 14-year-old boys and 60th all-time in his NAG. In the 100 breast, he shaved more than a second off his previous best to rank sixth this season. Nakashima also took more than four seconds off his previous best in the 200 IM with a 2:14.25.

Flatiron Athletic Club’s Gavin Keogh clocked a 59.15 in the 100 back to become the fourth-fastest performer this season. Keogh also tallied new best times in the 200 IM (2:13.39) and 400 IM (4:42.09), the latter of which ranks 14th this season. 

Denver Swim Academy’s Taylor Johannsen notched several times that stand out among 13-year-old girls this season. She dropped more than two seconds in the 200 free, finishing in a time of 2:05.98 that ranks No. 2 this season. In the 400 free, Johannsen shaved more than four seconds off her previous best from June, blazing a 4:27.30 to become the third-fastest performer this season for her age. Her new personal bests from the 100 fly (1:03.45), 200 fly (2:20.42), and 400 IM prelims (5:06.32) rank fourth, fifth, and seventh, respectively, this season. 

14-year-old Ella Gaca-Thiele also threw down multiple top-10 times this season for her age. The Fort Collins Area Swim Team member placed first in both the 50 free (26.60) and 100 free (57.63), moving her up to No. 8 and No. 7, respectively, this season. 

Other Highlights

• 15-year-old Applejean Gwinn was just outside the top 10 nationally this season with her 1:01.72 in the 100 fly, which ranks 11th. She also came close in the 400 IM, where her 4:55.78 ranks 13th this season for her age. Gwinn added personal bests in the 100 back (1:05.11) and 200 fly (2:19.62). 
• 16-year-old Daniel Yi of Denver Swim Academy snuck under the Summer Nationals standard in the 200 breast, adding his second Junior Nationals cut after achieving the mark in the 100-yard breast at the beginning of the year. Yi’s 2:21.46 dropped more than three seconds off his previous best in the process. 
• 17-year-old Sabrina Rachjaibun set six new personal bests to go along with two individual victories last weekend. The versatile Front Range Barracudas swimmer triumphed in the 200 free (2:05.30) and 200 fly (2:19.13) while adding best times in the 400 free (4:26.36), 1500 free (17:26.30), and 100 fly (1:03.19).