Presenting our Weekly Wonders from the weekend of March 29th to 31st, 2019:
Austin Winchester, 16, Waves of Wilmington (WOW-NC): 200 IM, 1:52.51 – A year ago, then-15-year-old Austin Winchester was 1:55.90 in the 200 IM. Throughout the rest of 2018, he swam the race a number of times, never going under 1:59. Then in January 2019, he was 1:58.74, and last weekend, we dropped all the way to 1:52.51. Winchester also went best times in the 100 free (45.48), 100 back (51.47), 100 breast (58.56), 100 fly (51.05), and 200 fly (1:54.82).
Catherine Hughes, 13, Arlington Aquatic Club (AAC-PV): 200 breast, 1:03.84 – Then-12-year-old Catherine Hughes went a best time of 2:24.25 in the 200 breast. A year later – earlier this month – she went 2:20.14. Then last weekend, she shaved off even more, going 2:17.17, hitting a Winter Juniors cut.
Kira Agne, 14, Wilmington Aquatic Club (WAV-MA): 1650 free, 17:15.14 – In November of 2018, then-13-year-old Kira Agne went 18:07.08 in the mile, in and of itself a minute and 48-second drop from her previous best. Then in January of this year, she was 17:32.38. Last weekend, she took off another 17 seconds, going 17:15.14. She was the second-fastest 14-year-old in the country last weekend. Agne also dropped over a second in the 500 free (4:58.51), and swim her first-ever 1000 free (10:24.95).
Josh Zuchowski, 14, Flood Aquatics Swim Club (FAST-FG): 100 fly, 49.80 – After dropping two seconds to break :50 for the first time two weeks ago (49.83), 14-year-old Josh Zuchowski was able to shave off a little more time. He went 51.46 in prelims, then 49.80 in finals. He also went a best time in his 500 free (4:38.61), 50 back (22.78), 200 breast (2:04.57) and 400 IM (3:53.06) last weekend.
Katie McClintock, 16, Egg Harbor TWP Seahawks (SEA-MA): 400 IM, 4:16.20 – Then-15-year-old Katie McClintock closed 2017 with best time of 4:22.76 in the 400 IM, then after full year later, went a new best time of 4:19.55. McClintock didn’t wait long after that, though, and went 4:19.15 in prelims last weekend. In finals, she blew that time away, going 4:16.20.
Catherine Weaverling, 15, Delaware Swim Team (DST-MA): 100 back, 55.61 – Then-14-year-old Catherine Weaverling broke :57 in the 100 back for the first time in March of 2018, going 56.95 then 56.89. Then, earlier in March, she was 56.33. Last weekend, she went 56.26 in prelims, then slashed off time to go 55.61 in finals. She also went a best time in the 50 free (24.41), 100 free (51.14), 50 back (26.45), 200 back (2:00.81), 200 fly (2:03.74), and 400 IM (4:28.61).