Stuart Seymour Scores First Trials Cut With Monster 50 Free Drop At NASA Spring Blast Off

2024 IL WILD NASA Spring Blast Off

• May 3-5, 2024
• Evanston, IL
• 50 meters (LCM)
• Meet Info
• Results on Meet Mobile “2024 NASA Spring Blast Off”

Rising Northwestern University sophomore Stuart Seymour punched a ticket to Indianapolis when he landed his first Olympic Trials cut in the 50 free at the 2024 Illinois NASA Spring Blast Off in early May.

Seymour threw down a time of 22.64, dipping well under the Trials cut of 22.79. His performance also marked the 5th fastest time in the boys’ 17-18 age group this season, and he now sits at 33rd in the all-time ranks in the age group.

Seymour came into the meet with a lifetime best of 23.75 set last summer, and cracked 23 seconds for the first time in the prelims (22.99) before his big drop in the final.

On top of his exhilarating performance in the 50, Seymour posted another top time in the 100 free, winning in a personal best time of 51.47, shaving half a second off his previous best of 51.99. His time bumped him up to 47th in boys’ 17-18 age group this season.

Seymour also won the 100 back in 57.86, just under one second off his PB. He and teammate Aaron Baltaytis, who was runner-up in a time of 58.43, raced into the wall well ahead of the pack; they were the only two competitors under a minute.

Originally from Brookfield, Wisconsin, Seymour competed in his first season at Northwestern in 2023-24, posting the team’s top time in the 50 free (19.69). He is now swimming with the Northwestern Summer/Club team alongside teammates like Baltaytis.

Other Notable Performances

• 14-year-old Teddy O’Donnell from NASA Wildcat Aquatics had a tremendous meet, racking up five personal best times and three individual victories over the course of the weekend. O’Donnell won the 200 free (2:11.23 – PB), 100 breast (1:16.55 – PB) and 200 IM (2:21.60). He also posted personal bests in the 50 and 100 free, touching in a time of 26.71 and 58.71, respectively.
• Jayson Clark, a 10-year-old from Patriot Aquatic Club, saw personal best times in each of his individual races and placed 1st in his age group in four of them. He won the 100 free (1:12.46), 50 back (37.26), 100 back (1:20.46) and 100 fly (1:23.71), and he posted two more personal bests in the 50 breast (47.14) and 100 breast (1:44.53).
• Thirteen-year-old Avery Musick, a member of NASA Wildcat Aquatics, won all but one of her individual events and posted five personal best times. She won the 100 free (1:02.32 – PB), 200 free (2:15.50 – PB), 100 back (1:12.02), 200 back (2:31.10), 100 fly (1:08.80 – PB), 200 fly (2:36.93 – PB), 200 IM (2:35.07 – PB) and 400 IM (5:27.12). The only event that Musick did not win was the 50 free, where she was the runner-up in a best time of 29.48.
• NASA Wildcat Aquatics’ Palinee Piriyakulvej posted seven personal best times and five individual victories in her age group. She won the 100 free (1:03.70 – PB), 200 free (2:17.71 – PB), 100 back (1:14.91 – PB), 100 fly (1:11.91 – PB) and 200 IM (2:37.28 – PB). Piriyakulvej’s remaining personal best times came in the 50 free (29.28) and 200 fly (2:45.41).