Presenting our Weekly Wonders from April 5th-April 7th, 2019:
Parker Lenoce, 13, Westport/Weston Femily Y Water Rat Swim Team(WRAT-CT): 500 free, 4:42.32 – In April of last year, then-12-year-old Parker Lenoce has a best time of 4:59.27 in the 500 free. He dropped a tenth in October, and then almost nine more seconds in December. Come February of this year, he took off nearly six more. Last weekend, he continued the massives drops, taking off two more seconds for a 4:42.32.
Greta Gidley, 15, Farmington Family Y Stingrays (FFYS-MI): 200 IM, 2:00.18 – Entering 2019, 15-year-old Greta Gidley held a best time of 2:06.51 in the 200 IM. In her first swim of the year, she dropped a second, and then two more later the same day for a 2:03.00. Last weekend, in prelims, she went 2:02.62, and then in finals, dropped all the way to 2:00.18. Gidley also went best times in the 100 free (50.31), 200 free (1:48.99) and 100 fly (55.81) last week.
Annika McEnroe, 16, Y-Spartaquatics Swim Club (YSSC-SC): 200 fly, 1:58.27 – A year ago, a then-15-year-old Annika McEnroe broke 2:00 for the first time in the 200 fly (1:58.27). She swam it a handful of times in the interim, never getting back under two minutes. Then last weekend, swimming it twice, she went 1:58.29 and 1:58.27. The swims qualified her for 2019 Summer Juniors. McEnroe also hit a best time in the 100 fly (53.99), 200 breast (2:12.43) and 200 IM (2:00.39) last week.
Anthony Laurito, 12, Aquastar (AQUA-GU): 100 back, 55.7 – Twelve-year-old Anthony Laurito’s best time in the 100 back before last weekend was 58.64, swum last December. He had raced it once this year, going 58.77. Then last weekend, Laurito ripped both a 55.75 and a 55.70 at the Pacific Swimming’s Far Western Championships. He was the fastest 12-year-old in the country last weekend by .9 seconds, and the 10th-fastest this year.
Jada Duncan, 12, Wolverine Aquatics (WAC-SN): 50 free, 23.83 – In April 2018, then-11-year-old Jada Duncan had yet to break :25 in the 50 free. She did that for the first time in October, going 24.82. For the next couple months, she was extremely consistent, repeating her 24.82, then going 24.81. In December, she went 24.35, then in March, Duncan dropped to 24.12. In her first swim last weekend, she went 24.02, then smashed the 24 barrier with a 23.83 in finals.
Johnny Nutt, 17, Red Bank YMCA (RBY-RJ): 100 breast, 55.43 – In December 2017, then-16-year-old Johnny Nutt went 59.11 in the 100 breast. A full year later, after numerous mid-year swims, he obliterated that time, going 56.93. He brought that momentum into 2019, going 56.31 and then 55.43 last weekend. Nutt also went a best time in the 50 free (21.51), 200 breast (2:01.49), and 200 IM (1:52.46).
Porter LeVasseur, 18, Edwardsville YMCA (EDWY-OZ): 100 free, 45.83 – After logging zero 100 breast swims in the first 10 months of 2018, 18-year-old Porter LeVasseur went a best time of 46.98 last November. Last month, he shaved that down to 46.85. Last weekend, LeVasseur dropped a full second, going 46.20 in prelims, then leaving the 46 barrier in the dust with a 45.83 finals swim. He also went a best time in his 50 free, going 20.72, and 100 back, going 51.40.