Weekly Wonders of Age Group Swimming – 8/12/2023

Our Weekly Wonders of Age Group Swimming series celebrates swimmers of every age and experience level with age group profiles of some recent results.

Note: This edition primarily sheds light on some of the top performers—who may not have received headlines—at the U.S. Junior National Championships in Irvine, in addition to a few other meets over the last few weeks.

Wilson York, 13, Lakeside Swim Team (KY): York, competing at the NCSA Summer Swimming Championships, set five new personal best times, including a blistering 2:18.30 in the 200 breaststroke which ranks him first all-time among 13-year-olds in the United States. In June, he clocked 1:04.09 in the 100 breast to earn the same distinction. York also now ranks fourth all-time in the boys’ 13-14 age group in the 200 breast, and he also had a noteworthy performance in the 200 IM, clocking 2:08.34 to become the fastest 13-year-old American ever.

Shannon Conway, 14, North Baltimore Aquatic Club (MD): Conway set new lifetime bests in the 50 free (26.41), 100 free (56.93), 400 free (4:21.85) and 800 free (8:59.04) at Junior Nationals, with the 100 free performance taking over 48th place all-time in the girls’ 13-14 age group. The NBAC product also split 2:04.51 on the 800 free relay, more than a second under flat start PB in the 200 free (2:05.75).

Joseph Campagnola, 14, West Florida Lightning Aquatic Club (FL): Campagnola dropped four and a half seconds in the 400 IM at Junior Nats to put up a time of 4:34.96, moving him into 40th all-time in the boys’ 13-14 age group. Notably, he opened the event with a fly split of 59.55, nearly under his lifetime best in the 100 fly (59.38).

Mia Su, 14, Santa Clara Swim Club (PC): At 14, Su was an ‘A’ finalist in the girls’ 200 breaststroke at Junior Nationals, placing eighth in 2:33.05 after qualifying fifth overall in the heats at 2:31.45 (her PB standing at 2:31.01, set in early July). Su also earned a second swim in the 100 breast, setting a lifetime best of 1:11.20 to move to 39th all-time in the girls’ 13-14 age group. In the 200 breast, her best time ranks 17th in 13-14 history.

Jackson Edwards, 14, Pittsburgh Elite Aquatics (AM): Edwards swam his way to five lifetime bests at the Eastern Zone Age Group Championships in Richmond, Va., including a blistering time of 58.89 in the 100 back. The swim ranks Edwards 48th all-time in the boys’ 13-14 age group, and he also went bests of 24.82 in the 50 free, 53.90 in the 100 free, 1:58.25 in the 200 free and 2:11.12 in the 200 back.

Vanessa Delev, 9, Badger Swim Club (MR): At the age of nine, Delev incredibly won seven events in the girls 10 & under age group at the Eastern Zone Age Group Championships, adding a runner-up finish to boot. Delev put up a time of 4:59.34 in the 400 free, cracking the 1100 power-point marker, and also exceeded 1000 points in the 100 free (1:06.37), 200 free (2:22.93), 50 back (34.82), 100 back (1:14.55), 100 fly (1:15.03) and 200 IM (2:42.17).