Thomas Heilman Adds Individual and Relay Wins at YMCA Nationals
As the YMCA National Championships moved into its first full day of racing, Thomas Heilman quickly took over, as expected. He helped Piedmont YMCA to a win in the 800 freestyle relay Monday, and he followed that up with individual and relay wins Tuesday
Heilman topped the 100 butterfly in 45.04, finishing two seconds clear of Spartanburg’s Jimmy Beeson (47.03) and Farmington Valley’s John Rusnock (47.42). Heilman was well off the 17-18 National Age Group record of 43.86 he set late last year.
Later on, Heilman split 20.19 on the butterfly leg as he led his team to a win in the 200 medley relay. Chase Easton, Jack Hathaway and Will Browne also contributed on the way to a time of 1:28.78. Piedmont was followed by Schroeder (1:29.25) and Spartanburg (1:29.47).
Additionally, Lakeland Hills’ Connor Johnson won the 200 backstroke in 1:42.95, a final 50 surge helping him jump from third to first. Greater Somerset’s Kenneth Barnicle (1:43.22) and McGaw’s Rayburn Kohl took second and third, respectively. In the 200 breaststroke, the win went to Oshkosk’s Drew Gaerthofner over a hard-charging Rusnock, 1:56.69 to 1:56.86, with Triangle Area’s Evan Hepburn third (1:58.82).
In the girls’ competition, Schroeder’s Maggie Dickinson dominated the 200 back in 1:53.40, finishing ahead of Lowes’ Alyssa Claborn (1:57.33) and Stevens Point’s Klare Pilger (1:57.54). Another Schroeder swimmer won the 100 fly as Alana Berlin touched in 51.59, ahead of teammate Ari Zhao (53.66) and Lakeland Hills’ Anna Kilponen (53.97).
York’s Molly Yacoviello came home first in the 200 breast, her time of 2:11.66 beating Spartanburg’s Grace Hunt (2:12.35) and Piedmont’s Sara Czirjak (2:14.47). Schroeder backed up its individual success with a comfortable win in the 200 medley relay, with the team of Dickinson, Amy Hu, Berlin and Anne Dickinson swimming a time of 1:39.56 to win by two-and-a-half seconds over Lakeland Hills (1:42.12) and Piedmont (1:42.78).