SwimSwam’s The Weekly Wonders of Age Group Swimming – 7/9/2014

There weren’t a whole lot of meets over Fourth of July weekend so we were limited geographically. Still, there were plenty of good swims. Read up on our Daring Dozen for the weekend of July 4-6, 2014.

Emily Sehmann, 17, Bowling Green Swim Club: 50 free (27.12) – Sehmann notched a best time by .3 in winning the 50 free at the Mike Peppe-Bruce Memorial Invitational hosted by Ohio State Swim Club. She also left the meet with new PBs in the 100/400 free, 100/200 back, and 200 IM.

Patrick Callan, 14, SwimTulsa: 200m free (2:02.94) – Callan won every event he swam at the Stars and Stripes Invitational sponsored by Jenks Trojan Swim Club. They include boys 13-14 200/400 free, 100/200 back, 50/100 breast, and 200/400 IM. Just a touch off his best time in the 200 free, he dropped time in the 400, both backs, and the 50 breast.

Alyssa Helak, 14, Unattached (Niagara Swimming): 200 free (2:09.87) – Swimming at Schenectady-Saratoga Swim Club’s Sharks Summer Invite at the Colgate University pool, Helak won the 100 free, finished second in the 200 and 400, and took third in the 100 and 200 backs. She went lifetime bests in the 200 and 400 frees.

Eric Knowles, 14, Dayton Raiders: 400m free (4:13.73) – At OSCS’s Mike Peppe-Bruce Memorial Invitational , Knowles dropped ten seconds and won the boys 13-14 400 free with a new meet record of 4:13.73, bettering the old mark by more than seven seconds. He also won the 50/100/200 free and 200 IM, all with new meet records.

Mackenzie Arens, 14, Waves Bloomington/Normal Y S.T.: 1500m free (17:29.13) – Arens picked up a new best time by 5.5 seconds swimming the mile at Saturday Races at FGCU hosted by Gulf Coast Swim Team. She also went her second-best 100 back and 100 fly.

Maggie Miller, 17, Harrison Extended Aquatic Team: 100m back (1:06.35) – Miller had “A” final finishes in the 100/200 back and 100 fly (6th, 4th, 5th, respectively) at OSSC’s Mike Peppe-Bruce Memorial Invitational. She was within a second of her best time in the fly, and within 2 in the 100 back.

Kai Crews, 11, Unattached (Hawaii): 200m back (2:27.18) – Swimming at the 66th Annual Keo Nakama Invitational at the Veterans Memorial Aquatic Center in Honolulu, Crews dropped 10 seconds and popped out the top 200 back in the country for 11-year-old boys with his third-place finish in the boys open event. He won the 11-12 400 free, 50 fly, and 200 IM, all with best times.

Angelina Harris, 11, Three Village Swim Club: 100m breast (1:23.34) – Harris won the girls 11-12 100 breast at the Junior Met 2 Invitational hosted by Long Island Aquatic Club in her third best time ever. She also dropped six seconds in her 50 back and was right at her time in the 200 IM.

Julian Chun, 12, Executive Swim Club: 200m breast (2:48.30) – Chun won the boys 11-12 100/200/800 free, 50/100/200 breast, and 200 IM at Manchester Swim Team’s Team Specialty Meet at Raco Theodore Swimming Pool in Manchester, NH. Chun went home with new PBs in the 50/800 free, 50 back, and 50 breast.

Seth Chun, 13, Arizona Gold Swimming: 200m fly (2:12.69) – Between prelims and finals at the Arizona Long Course Senior State Championships Chun shave nearly two seconds off his seed time and catapulted into the number one spot in the country for 13-year-old boys.

Cooper Hodge, 16, Cincinnati Aquatic Club: 200 IM (2:06.67) – Hodge won the men’s 200 IM at OSSC’s Mike Peppe-Bruce Memorial Invitational. It was his best time by a half-second and a mere .04 off the meet record. Hodge also went best times in the 50 free and 200 fly at the meet.

Dylan Gravley, 11, Sandpipers Of Nevada: 400m IM (5:24.67) – Competing at the Sandpiper Fire Cracker Invitational, Gravley won the boys 11-12 100/200/1500 free, 200 back, 50 breast, 50 fly, and 400 IM. In addition to the 400 IM, he went best times in the 100/200/1500 free, 100/200 back, and 50 breast. Gravley now owns the second-fastest 400 IM in the country for 11-year-old boys.

Special thanks to Lyle Campbell for his assistance in putting this list together.