It was a good day to be young at the Speedo Winter Jr. National Championships in Georgia.
Two National Age Group records fell during Friday night finals. Both records fell to swimmers under 17 years of age.
The meet started with the 400-yard individual medley. Brooke Forde won the event for Lakeside Swim Team. Forde posted a time of 4:07.49. NOVA of Virginia’s Charlie Swanson took home the men’s gold medal in the event with a 3:47.65. Swanson finished two seconds ahead of the second place finisher.
Cardinal Aquatics’ Grace Oglesby set a new meet record in the 100-yard butterfly. The 17-year-old posted a time of 52.41.
The first National Age Group record of the night fell in the 100-yard butterfly. Camden Murphy of Kingfish Aquatics broke Michael Andrew’s 15-16 record with a time of 46.25. Murphy is a 16-year-old.
Hannah Cox of Upper Valley Aquatics took home the title in the 200-yard freestyle with a time of 1:44.67. Upper Dublin’s Michael Jensen won the men’s event in 1:34.93.
Nashville Aquatics Allie Raab won the women’s 100-yard breaststroke in 1:00.02. Will Chan of SwimMAC Carolina took home the men’s crown with a time of 53.99.
The last individual event of the evening was the 100-yard backstroke.
In the women’s race, Alex Walsh set a new 13-14 National Age Group record with a time of 51.62. Walsh, who swims for Nashville Aquatics, broke the record by over a second and won the event.
Carpet Capital’s Ethan Young won the men’s race. Young posted a time of 46.66, breaking the meet record.
The night concluded with the men’s and women’s 200-yard freestyle relay.
In the women’s relay, SwimMAC Carolina sprinted to victory, posting a time of 1:30.09. Nashville Aquatics was second and Gator Swim Club was third.
The Bolles School Sharks won the men’s relay with a time of 1:21.10. Upper Dublin was second and Bernal’s Gator Swim Club was third.
Going into tomorrow, SwimMAC Carolina has a commanding team lead with 564 points. The Bolles School Sharks are in second with 353.
If a 14-year-old girl is going 51-mid in the 100 back that ought to push Cal’s Rachel Bootsma/Elizabeth Pelton and/or Virginia’s Courtney Bartholomew to swim in the 48s come NCAAs and finally crush Natalie Coughlin’s 15-year-old American/NCAA record of 49.97 like an ant. Bartholomew came oh so close a year ago w/her 50.01 at the Georgia Invitational but was a tad slower at NCAAs.