A pair of swimmers went under the old National Age Group Record in the 200 yard backstroke for 11-12 girls in the same race at the 2014 Eastern Zone SC Championships in Webster, New York. Alexandra Walsh of Chelsea Piers swim team in Connecticut swam to a 1:58.31, and Katie Mack from NCAP swam to a 1:59.03 in the final, both of which cleared the 1:59.49 of Georgia-bound high school senior Kylie Stewart from 2009 when she was 12 years old. Stewart recently won the NCSA Junior National Championship in a time faster than the NCAA winning time.
Walsh is coming off of a three-age-group-record weekend just a couple of weeks ago, but at that meet didn’t swim the 200 back, which is perhaps her best event. Mack, meanwhile, is another swimmer who has thrown her name into the hat of the budding 11-12 backstroking rivalry nationally that includes names like Regan Smith in Minnesota.
Those times leave both swimmers shy of Summer Nationals standards, but Walsh is only about two-tenths of a second shy of the Summer Juniors qualifying standard.
Walsh also swam a 2:03.89 to win the 200 yard IM. That was about four-tenths away from the National Age Group record, but it did shatter Katie Hoff’s old championship meet record of 2:07.12 by more than three seconds. She finished her meet off with a 51.15 anchor leg on the 400 yard free relay as well.
If only this many age group records were being broken in the women’s sprints. Lots of age group depth in several events but a few disciplines are definitely quiet by comparison.
Wow! Fantastic 200 back! With 2 girls under the NAG record!
I expected such a performance from Alexandra Walsh who is in fire since December but not from Katie Mack.
Fantastic times for both girls.
And Regan Smith who has recently turned 12 already swims 2.00!
Crazy fast generation!
Miss Walsh also very close to the 200 IM record by Katie Hoff.
Another girl to watch at this meet is 10-year-old Meghan Lynch.
32.00 in the 50 breast and 2.16.66 in the 200 IM.
Impressive times.
another fast swimmer from NCAP, ohhhh