By Braden Keith on SwimSwam

2019 FRENCH SHORT COURSE CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Thursday, December 12th – Sunday, December 15th
• Piscine Jean Boin, Angers, France
• SCM
• Live Results

A new Swiss National Record from Jeremy Desplanches was the highlight of Saturday’s racing at the 2019 French Short Course Championships in Angers.

The 25-year old Desplanches, who trains with French club Olympic Nice Natation, swam a 4:03.71 to win the 400 IM by 6-and-a-half seconds on Saturday.

Desplanches’ old personal best, and Swiss Record, was a 4:04.89 set at last year’s edition of this meet.

Splits Comparison:

In total, he owns 8 Swiss Records individually: in long course, the 100 fly, 200 fly, 200 IM, and 400 IM; and in short course, the 200 fly, 100 IM, 200 IM, and 400 IM.

Among the French champions, Florent Manaudou picked up an individual title for the 2nd-straight night. After winning the 50 free (20.64) on Friday, he added a victory in the 50 fly on Saturday in a time of 22.44. That’s .02 seconds away from the time he swam at the European SC Championships last week.

Manaudou also led off the winning Marseille relay in the men’s 200 medley, splitting 23.40 on the backstroke leg. He combined with Theo Bussiere (25.99), Nicolas Vermorel (22.84), and Clement Mignon (21.59) to set a new Meet Record of 1:33.82.

That was one of 2 Meet Records for Bussiere in Saturday’s finals session. He also swam a 57.42 in the 100 breaststroke, which broke the French Championship Record in that event. That’s his best time by 4-tenths of a second, improving upon his 12th-place finishing time of 57.81 from last week’s European Championships.

The winning Marseille women’s medley relay also broke the Meet Record, swimming 1:48.70.

Other Day 3 Winners:

• Fanny Deberghes won the women’s 200 breaststroke in 2:22.94, more than 2 seconds ahead of the field. Justine Delmas was 2nd in 2:25.26, which is a new French Age Record for 14-year olds.
• Another foreign winner was Anna Egorova in the women’s 800 free, touching in 8:14.18. Egorova, who swims for Montpellier Metropole Natation, competes for Russia, as does that race’s runner-up Anastassia Kirpitchnikova (8:18.27).
• Lara Grangeon, already an Olympic qualifier in the open water 10km swim, showed again that she’s still capable in the pool. After winning the 400 IM on Friday, she won the 200 IM on Saturday in 2:07.67, beating out another open water swimmer, Dutchwoman Sharon van Rouwendaal (2:07.73). This was Grangeon’s lifetime best by 7-tenths of a second. She also finished 2nd in the 800 free in an 8:25.
• Marseille’s Lila Touili tied with Nautic Club Alp’38’s Valeriya Egorova, a Russian, for the win in the women’s 100 back in 59.07.
• Jeremy Stravius from Olympic Nice won the men’s 200 free in 1:43.11. That’s a new lifetime best for him.
• Marie Wattel, who has been on fire all week including a new French Record in the 100 free on Thursday, won the women’s 50 free on Friday in 24.21. Anna Santamans took 2nd in 24.31.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Jeremy Desplanches Breaks Swiss Record in 400 IM at French SC Nationals

By Ben Dornan on SwimSwam

2019 ITALIAN WINTER CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Dec. 12-14, 2019
• Riccione (Italy) – Stadio del Nuoto
• LCM (50m course)
• Entry Lists
• Live Stream
• Results

Two more swimmers joined the tally of early Olympic qualifiers for Italy on Saturday to close out their winter National Championship meet, bringing the total pre-qualified to Tokyo to 4.

After a first place finish in the 100 backstroke yesterday, Margherita Panziera took home another gold tonight at the 2019 Italian Winter Championships in the 200 backstroke. Panziera won by over six seconds, touching the wall in a 2:06.59, ahead of Erika Francesca Gaetani for second (2:12.83) and Giulia Ramatelli for third (2:13.30).

That time for Panziera dips her under the 2:07.50 required to qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, and makes her the 3rd swimmer this week in Riccione to book their ticket to the Olympics. The other 2 are Simona Quadarella, who swam a 15:57.18 to clear the selection standard of 16:00.00; and Nicolo Martinenghi, who qualified via an Italian Record int he 100 breaststroke in 58.75, clearing the standard of 59.00.

A 4th swimmer joined the pool for Tokyo when reigning Olympic Champion Gregorio Paltinieri blew away the field in the 1500, clocking a 14:42.66 to swim under the standard of 14:45.00. Coming in second was Alessio Occhipinti with a 15:11.65 and third was Matteo Lamberti with a 15:13.40. Paltinieri currently holds the world record in the short course 1500 free, as well as both the long course and short course Italian records in the 800 and 1500.

Italian swimming veteran Federica Pellegrini finished the meet off with a gold in the 200 freestyle, getting her hand on the wall in 1:56.36, ahead of Paola Biagioli’s 1:59.93 and Sara Gailli’s 2:00.55 for silver and bronze. Pellegrini almost completed a perfect sweep of the sprint freestyles after a second place finish in the 50 and first place finish in the 100.

2018 Youth Olympic Games Champion, Thomas Ceccon took gold in the 50 butterfly, swimming a 23.63, just 0.09 seconds ahead of the morning’s top seed, Piero Codia. Ceccon and Codia are the respective holders of the 50 fly junior (23.37) and senior (23.21) national records but neither were fast enough tonight to crack either mark. Matteo Rivolta rounded out the podium with a 23.78.

Other Day 3 Results:

• Matteo Restivo nearly beat his own 1:56.29 NR, taking gold in the 200 back with a 1:56.47
• Stefania Pirozzi won the 200 fly in a 2:09.76
• Stefano Ballo (1:47.22) out-touched Italian record holder, Filippo Megli (1:47.54) in the 200 free. Mattia Zuin finished in third with a 1:47.65.
• Alberto Razzetti topped the podium in the men’s 200 IM with a 2:00.09, followed by Lorenzo Glessi’s 2:01.19 and Noè Ponti, of Switzerland

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Margherita Panziera and Gregorio Paltrinieri Qualify for Tokyo Olympic Games

By Anne Lepesant on SwimSwam

2019 Speedo Winter Junior Championships – East

• December 11th-14th, 2019
• Georgia Tech Campus Recreation Center, Atlanta, Georgia
• SCY (25y) Course
• All the links you need
• Pre-scratch Timeline
• Psych Sheets
• Real-time Results
• Saturday Finals Heat Sheets

Day Four finals will begin with the fastest heat of the women’s 1650 free and the men’s 1650 free. Then we will have finals of women’s and men’s 200 back, 100 free, 200 breast, and 200 fly. We will end the meet with timed finals of the 400 free relay.

Women’s 1650 Yard Freestyle – Fastest Heat

• SC Juniors Meet Record – 15:56.39 Gabrielle Kopenski 2014
• 13/14 National Age Group Record – 15:54.46 Becca Mann 2012
• 15/16 National Age Group Record – 15:15.17 Katie Ledecky 2013
• 17/18 National Age Group Record – 15:13.30 Katie Ledecky 2015

Top 8 Finishers:

Men’s 1650 Yard Freestyle – Fastest Heat

• SC Juniors Meet Record – 14:37.71 Michael Brinegar 2017
• 13/14 National Age Group Record – 15:14.17 Arthur Frayler 2008
• 15/16 National Age Group Record – 14:45.40 Sean Grieshop 2014
• 17/18 National Age Group Record – 14:34.46 P.J. Ransford 2015

Top 8 Finishers:

Women’s 200 Yard Backstroke – Heats

• SC Juniors Meet Record – 1:50.16 Katharine Berkoff 2018
• 13/14 National Age Group Record – 1:51.07 Missy Franklin 2010
• 15/16 National Age Group Record – 1:48.30 Regan Smith 2018
• 17/18 National Age Group Record – 1:47.16 Regan Smith 2019

Top 8 Finishers:

Men’s 200 Yard Backstroke – Heats

• SC Juniors Meet Record – 1:40.79 Jacob Pebley 2011
• 13/14 National Age Group Record – 1:43.15 Michael Andrew 2014
• 15/16 National Age Group Record – 1:40.90 Ryan Murphy 2011
• 17/18 National Age Group Record – 1:37.35 Ryan Murphy 2014

Top 8 Finishers:

Women’s 100 Yard Freestyle – Heats

• SC Juniors Meet Record – 46.29 Abbey Weitzeil 2014
• 13/14 National Age Group Record – 47.67 Claire Curzan 2019
• 15/16 National Age Group Record – 47.49 Gretchen Walsh 2019
• 17/18 National Age Group Record – 46.09 Simone Manuel 2015

Top 8 Finishers:

Men’s 100 Yard Freestyle – Heats

• SC Juniors Meet Record – 41.23 Ryan Hoffer 2015
• 13/14 National Age Group Record – 43.90 Michael Andrew 2014
• 15/16 National Age Group Record – 42.67 Ryan Hoffer 2013
• 17/18 National Age Group Record – 41.23 Ryan Hoffer 2015

Top 8 Finishers:

Women’s 200 Yard Breaststroke – Heats

• SC Juniors Meet Record – 2:06.02 Alex Walsh 2018
• 13/14 National Age Group Record – 2:10.22 Allie Szekely 2012
• 15/16 National Age Group Record – 2:06.45 Alex Walsh 2018
• 17/18 National Age Group Record – 2:05.87Alex Walsh 2019

Top 8 Finishers:

Men’s 200 Yard Breaststroke – Heats

• SC Juniors Meet Record – 1:52.37 Reece Whitley 2016
• 13/14 National Age Group Record – 1:55.52 Reece Whitley 2014
• 15/16 National Age Group Record – 1:52.37 Reece Whitley 2016
• 17/18 National Age Group Record – 1:51.43 Reece Whitley 2017

Top 8 Finishers:

Women’s 200 Yard Butterfly – Heats

• SC Juniors Meet Record – 1:51.24 Regan Smith 2018
• 13/14 National Age Group Record – 1:55.29 Tess Howley 2019
• 15/16 National Age Group Record – 1:51.24 Regan Smith 2018
• 17/18 National Age Group Record – 1:51.04 Ella Eastin 2016

Top 8 Finishers:

Men’s 200 Yard Butterfly – Heats

• SC Juniors Meet Record – 1:40.91 Gianluca Urlando 2018
• 13/14 National Age Group Record – 1:45.39 Michael Andrew 2014
• 15/16 National Age Group Record – 1:40.91 Gianluca Urlando 2018
• 17/18 National Age Group Record – 1:40.85 Nicolas Albiero 2018

Top 8 Finishers:

Women’s 4×100 Freestyle – Timed Finals

• SC Juniors Meet Record: 3:16.62 SwimMAC Carolina (A Marsh, E Brown, C Lappin, J Merritt) 2015
• 13-14 NAG: 3:21.90 Nation’s Capital 2019
• 15-16 NAG: 3:19.17 Gator Swim Club 2016
• 17-18 NAG: 3:16.62 SwimMAC 2015
• 15-18 NAG: 3:15.38 Carmel Swim Club 2015

Top 8 Finishers:

Men’s 4×100 Freestyle – Timed Finals

• SC Juniors Meet Record: 2:55.89 Bolles School Sharks (J Booth, C Dressel, S Condorelli, J Schooling) 2012
• 13-14 NAG: 3:09.70 Irvine Novaquatics 2015
• 15-16 NAG: 3:01.01 Upper Dublin A.C. 2014
• 17-18 NAG: 2:56.15 SwimMAC 2013
• 15-18 NAG: 2:53.81 Allegheny North Swim Club 2018

Top 8 Finishers:

Read the full story on SwimSwam: 2019 Speedo Winter Junior Championships–East: Day 4 Finals Live Recap

By Fernando Cicutti on SwimSwam

CAMPEONATO ARGENTINO DE VERANO 2019

• 11 al 14 de diciembre de 2019
• Natatorio del Parque Olímpico, Buenos Aires, Argentina
• Pileta Larga (50m)
• Eliminatorias: 09:00 horas
• Finales: 17:30 horas
• Día 1: récord argentino de Juan Ignacio Méndez
• Día 2: otra marca olímpica de Delfina Pignatiello
• Día 3: récord argentino de Joaquín González Piñero
• Resultados completos

Este sábado se disputó la última jornada del Campeonato Argentino de verano, que cerró la temporada 2019 de la natación con otra gran actuación de Delfina Pignatiello, la gran aparición del deporte nacional en los últimos años. Por segunda vez esta semana, ahora en los 1500 libre, consiguió otro índice clasificatorio para Tokio 2020, pese a ya contar con esa marca mínima desde abril de este año.

El tiempo final de 16:19.11 que consiguió Pignatiello en el Natatorio del Parque Olímpico de Buenos Aires le permite bajar por casi 13 segundos el registro que exige la FINA para competir en los próximos Juegos Olímpicos. La carrera volvió a tenerla como protagonista excluyente desde el comienzo, con la mayoría de sus parciales alrededor de los 32 segundos, y un cierre de 31.38 para confirmar su victoria contundente. Además, quedó a sólo dos segundos y medio del tiempo que le permitió ganar esta misma prueba en los pasados Juegos Panamericanos.

Desde junio, Delfina Pignatiello se mantiene en el top 10 de todos los tiempos en 1500 libre, por su notable producción en el Mare Nostrum de Barcelona, cuando batió el récord sudamericano en 15:51.68. En ese momento también se ubicaba entre las tres nadadoras más rápidas de esta prueba, una estadística que al cierre de la temporada 2019 la tiene igualmente entre los primeros cinco lugares del ranking mundial.

A su clasificación olímpica en 1500 libre, la nadadora de 19 años también tiene asegurado su lugar en Tokio 2020 para las otras pruebas de fondo. En el mismo circuito Mare Nostrum, en su paso por Canet-en-Roussillon, Francia, consiguió por primera vez los índices en 800 libre, el día del récord sudamericano con auriculares puestos, y en los 400 libre, cuando también batió el récord argentino. Esta última fue la única marca que no pudo revalidar en este Campeonato Argentino, ya que en los 800 libre volvió a estar por debajo del registro de la FINA, hace dos días.

Además de las dos marcas olímpicas, Delfina Pignatiello cierra este torneo con sus 3 medallas doradas en pruebas individuales (400, 800 y 1500 libre), una plateada en los 200 mariposa y otros 2 oros en los relevos 4×100 libre y 4×100 combinado con su nuevo equipo a partir de este año, el Club Sociedad Alemana de Gimnasia de Villa Ballester.

Los otros nadadores destacados de esta última jornada del Campeonato Argentino de verano fueron los nuevos campeones: Joaquín González Piñero en 400 combinado, Manuela Morano en 50 libre, Agustín Hernández en 50 espalda, Gabriel Morelli en 200 pecho, Andrea Berrino en 100 espalda, Federico Grabich en 100 libre y Macarena Ceballos en 100 pecho. Todos integrarán el equipo argentino en el próximo Campeonato Sudamericano, que se disputará en este mismo escenario del Parque Roca, en la ciudad de Buenos Aires, en marzo de 2020.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Gran cierre de Pignatiello: 5 oros y 2 marcas olímpicas en el Argentino

By Braden Keith on SwimSwam

2019 USA Swimming Winter Junior Championships – West – Long Course Time Trial

• December 10th, 2019
• King County Aquatic Center, Federal Way, Washington
• LCM (50m pool)
• Results on Meet Mobile: “2019 West Speedo Winter Juniors – LC TT”
• Olympic Trials standards

A pair of 14-year olds were among the swimmers who added their names to the list of qualifiers for the 2020 Olympic Trials earlier this week at the long course time trial that preceded the Winter Junior Championships – West in Federal Way, Washington.

In fact, the two swimmers both hit their qualifying standard in the same race, the girls’ 200 breaststroke.

Aislyn Barnett of the Aces Swim Club in Colorado swam a 2:32.12 in the 200 breaststroke for her first-ever Olympic Trials cut. That was a 4.09 second drop from her previous lifetime best – not an unusual drop for a 14-year old, but a more-unusual drop for a swimmer to hit an Olympic Trials standard.

The runner-up in that race was 14-year old Zoey Zeller from the Santa Clara Swim Club in California. She dropped 1.02 seconds from her lifetime best to swim 2:33.21 for her first Olympic Trials cut. Both swimmers were better than the standard of 2:33.29 in the event.

A 14-year old also qualified for the Olympic Trials at the East meet Time Trial as well – JoJo Ramey in the 200 back.

Both swimmers dropped time on Sunday morning in prelims of the 200 yard breaststroke as well to earn 2nd swims. Zeller swam 2:13.04, dropping more than 2 seconds from her seed time, to qualify 4th, while Barnett dropped 3-tenths of a second to qualify 10th in 2:15.07. The two were the highest-placing 14-year olds in prelims.

Barnett and Zeller were among 5 swimmers who hit new qualifying standards this week in Federal Way. Athletes have until June of 2020, shortly before the June 21st start of the Olympic Trials in Omaha, to meet the qualifying standards.

Other Olympic Trials Qualifiers from the Winter Junior Championships – West Long Course Time Trials

• Katherine “KitKat” Zenick of the Notrth Texas Nadadores, an Ohio State commit, hit the time standard in the girls’ 100 fly by swimming 1:00.53. That dipped under the Olympic Trials standard of 1:00.69. She also finished 3rd in the 100 yard fly at Winter Juniors, knocking a full second off her lifetime best in that event to swim 52.53 in the final.
• Lukas Miller from Elevation Athletics swam a 50.15 in the 100 free to hit his second Olympic Trials standard. That was a .72 second drop from his lifetime best. Later in the time trial event, he swam a 23.26 in the 50 free – that was a .31 second improvement from his best, but just short of the Olympic Trials standard of 23.19. He’s already qualified for Omaha in the 200 free thanks to a 1:50.02 done this summer.
• Tyler Lu from SMAC in Seattle swam a 2:04.01 in the 200 IM, which just-barely snuck him under the Olympic Trials cut of 2:04.09 after a second-and-a-half drop. That’s his 2nd Trials standard – last week at the Husky Invitational, he swam a 56.20 in the 100 back to qualify in that event as well.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: 14-Year Olds Aislyn Barnett & Zoey Zeller Hit Olympic Trials Cuts in 200 Breast

By Robert Gibbs on SwimSwam

2019 SPEEDO WINTER JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS – EAST

• December 11th-14th, 2019
• Georgia Tech Campus Recreation Center, Atlanta, Georgia
• SCY (25y) Course
• All the links you need
• Pre-scratch Timeline
• Psych Sheets
• Real-time Results
• Saturday Finals Heat Sheets

17 year-old Josh Matheny of Pittsburgh Elite Aquatics hasn’t wasted much time moving up the all-time rankings in the 17-18 age group. Tonight, in the finals of the last day of the 2019 Speedo Winter Junior Championships, Matheny knocked over four seconds off his prelims time, and nearly three seconds off his previous lifetime best, to win the 200 breast in 1:52.12.

Even though he only recently joined the 17-18 age group, that time already moves Matheny to #5 all-time in that age group, according to the USA Swimming database.

Top Five Performers 17-18 Age Group

• Reece Whitley – 1:51.43
• Andrew Seliskar – 1:51.57
• Daniel Roy – 1:51.69
• Kevin Cordes – 1:51.97
• Josh Matheny– 1:52.12

While he’s already been among the top swimmers his age — he set 15-16 NAG records in both the 100 and 200 breast in long course this summer — Matheny continues to show serious improvement. His previous best time of 1:55.03 came from this past spring’s NCSA championships. Matheny, only a high school junior, was ranked #4 in our first round of rankings for the high school boys class of 2021, and has verbally committed to Indiana, where he’ll join a team known for pumping out some of the top breaststrokers in the country.

Earlier this week, Matheny finished 26th in the 200 IM, 17th in the 400 IM, and then won the 100 breast with a time of 52.56 (just off his personal best) not too long after he won the C-final of the 400 IM.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Matheny’s 1:52.1 200 Breast Sets Meet Record, Cracks Top 5 in 17-18 Age Group

By James Sutherland on SwimSwam

2019 ONTARIO JUNIOR INTERNATIONAL

• December 13-15, 2019
• Toronto, Ontario
• Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre
• 25m (SCM)
• Meet Central
• Psych Sheets
• Live Results
• Live Stream

It was another very fast day of racing at the Ontario Junior International meet in Toronto, as three meet records went down in addition to some Canadian and British age marks.

After a very impressive win last night in the 200 freestyle, tying the meet record in 1:43.64, Great Britain’s Matt Richards had another outstanding showing on night two.

The 16-year-old first broke the men’s 50 free meet record in the prelims, clocking 21.65 to erase Joshua Liendo‘s 21.67 mark from last year. Richards lowered it again in the final, getting all the way down to 21.38.

Liendo won silver in 21.45, taking down his Canadian 15-17 age record set last year (that same 21.67).

Richards followed up later in the session by winning the men’s 50 fly, clocking 23.27 to edge out Finlay Knox (23.47). Both swims were new British Junior Records for Richards.

Also completing the 50 double was last night’s 100 fly winner Hanna Henderson of Etobicoke, who claimed the women’s 50 free (24.90) and 50 fly (26.83).

Her swim in the 50 free was almost a full second under her best coming into the meet of 25.81, having dropped down to 25.08 in the prelims before breaking into the 24s tonight. Then in the 50 fly, she cracked 27 for the first time officially after taking her 100 out in 26.98 on night one.

In addition to Liendo, Summer McIntosh and Cole Pratt also set new Canadian NAGs on the night, just like they did on day one.

McIntosh had an incredible win in the women’s 200 fly, posting a time of 2:10.40 to take out Emily Overholt‘s 2012 13-14 NAG of 2:12.12. The 13-year-old McIntosh came into the day with a PB of 2:18.03, and had taken three seconds off that in the heats (2:15.01) before chopping another four and a half off in the finals.

Pratt, who scratched the final of the 200 fly at the start of the session, blasted a 51.57 to win the men’s 100 backstroke, erasing Javier Acevedo‘s 2015 meet and 15-17 NAG of 51.63 off the books. Pratt’s old best was 52.70 from last month.

OTHER WINNERS

• GBR’s Edward Mildred went wire-to-wire in the men’s 200 fly, clocking 1:55.48 to lower his best of 1:55.85 in the heats. Both were new British Junior Records.
• 15-year-old Regan Rathwell of the Greater Ottawa Kingfish won the women’s 100 back in a time of 59.08 after going sub-1:00 for the first time in prelims (59.92). Great Britain’s Medi Harris was second in 1:00.16.
• Etobicoke’s Katrina Bellio topped the women’s 400 free field in 4:08.14, going well under her previous best of 4:10.71 set last month. Brit Tamryn Van Selm was the runner-up in 4:12.14.
• After opening the meet with a win in the 800 on day one, Nepean’s David Quirie picked up a second victory in the men’s 400 free, blasting back-to-back best times in prelims (3:49.89) and finals (3:48.14). Whitby’s Alexander Axon took second in 3:50.80.
• Emma Spence of Team Sask won the women’s 200 breaststroke in 2:28.70, just off her morning swim of 2:28.11.
• 18-year-old Kyle Booth of Great Britain had a strong showing to the men’s 200 breast in 2:09.90, holding his final three 50s within 0.13 of each other (33.23/33.36/33.33). Kenora’s Gabe Mastromatteo, who won the 100 last night, touched second in 2:11.35, using a 32.82 last 50 to edge out Pointe-Claire’s Moncef Balamane (2:11.59).
• The Etobicoke women made it 2-for-2 in the relays as they claimed the 4×100 free in a time of 3:43.10. Bellio, McIntosh and Henderson were joined by Elan Daley. Henderson’s 54.01 was the fastest split in the field.
• The Pointe-Claire men followed suit, winning their second straight relay in the men’s 4×100 free. Edouard Fullum-Huot led off in 50.11, and then Stanford Li, Maxim Maximenco and Patrick Hussey all went 51 as they touched first by over three seconds. Quirie had the fastest flying split in the field for Nepean in 50.08.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Richards Sizzles With Sprint Double, Pratt, Liendo, McIntosh Smash NAGs At OJI

By Robert Gibbs on SwimSwam

2019 Speedo Winter Junior Championships – West

• December 11th-14th, 2019
• King County Aquatic Center, Federal Way, Washington
• SCY (25y) Course
• Pre-scratch timeline
• Psych Sheets
• Real-time Results
• Saturday Finals Heat Sheets

Day Four finals will begin with the fastest heat of the women’s 1650 free and the men’s 1650 free. Then we will have finals of the women’s and men’s 200 back, 100 free, 200 breast, and 200 fly. We will end the meet with timed finals of the 400 free relay.

Women’s 1650 Yard Freestyle – Fastest Heat

• SC Juniors Meet Record – 15:56.39 Gabrielle Kopenski 2014
• 13/14 National Age Group Record – 15:54.46 Becca Mann 2012
• 15/16 National Age Group Record – 15:15.17 Katie Ledecky 2013
• 17/18 National Age Group Record – 15:13.30 Katie Ledecky 2015

Top 8 Finishers:

1. Ashley Strouse (SAC) – 16:14.84
2. Liberty Williams (RAA) – 16:21.09
3. Kathryn Shanley (FST) – 16:24.16
4. Jillian Cox (ATAC) – 16:24.28
5. Kylee Grafmiller (BTA) – 16:28.47
6. Hayden Miller (CFSC) – 16:33.56
7. Katherine Randall (RIPT) – 16:35.28
8. Malia Rusch (ASC) – 16:39.18

Top-seeded Ashley Strouse of Scottsdale Aquatic Club pulled away during the final heat, taking the victory by over six seconds with a time of 16:14.84. Liberty Williams and Kathryn Shanley, also in that final heat, ended up 2nd and 3rd with times of 16:21.09 and 16:24.16.

14 year-old Jillian Cox knocked 38 seconds off her seed time to post the fastest time through the early heats, a 16:24.28. That time would hold up for the 4th-fastest time overall.

Men’s 1650 Yard Freestyle – Fastest Heat

• SC Juniors Meet Record – 14:37.71 Michael Brinegar 2017
• 13/14 National Age Group Record – 15:14.17 Arthur Frayler 2008
• 15/16 National Age Group Record – 14:45.40 Sean Grieshop 2014
• 17/18 National Age Group Record – 14:34.46 P.J. Ransford 2015

Top 8 Finishers:

1. David Johnston (RACE) – 14:51.42
2. Ethan Heasley (HEAT) – 15:08.40
3. Tyler Kopp (KATY) – 15:08.96
4. Trent Frandson (CIA) – 15:12.92
5. Dylan Moffatt (LMST) – 15:17.72
6. Gabe Nickels (BC) – 15:18.26
7. Cooper Lucas (LAC) / Jack Callan (TAC) – 15:19.78
8. (tie)

David Johnston of Rockwall led the final essentially from wire-to-write, ultimately winning by nearly an entire pool in a time of 14:51.42. Heading into this fall, Johnston’s top time was a 15:28.62, but improved to 15:05.20 last month before taking nearly another 14 seconds off his best time tonight.

Johnston’s future Texas teammate Ethan Heasley of Hillsboro battled Tyler Kopp (Katy Aquatic Team), a Texas native, but Cal commit,  for 2nd for much of the race, with Heasley ultimately winning that race within a race, 15:08.40 to 15:08.96.

Dylan Moffatt led the early heats with a time of 15:17.72, improving his personal best by about ten seconds and ultimately finishing 5th.

Women’s 200 Yard Backstroke – Final

• SC Juniors Meet Record – 1:50.16 Katharine Berkoff 2018
• 13/14 National Age Group Record – 1:51.07 Missy Franklin 2010
• 15/16 National Age Group Record – 1:48.30 Regan Smith 2018
• 17/18 National Age Group Record – 1:47.16 Regan Smith 2019

Top 8 Finishers:

1. Isabelle Stadden (AQJT) – 1:50.50
2. Sydney Silver (TOPS) – 1:55.84
3. Malia Francis (MWWM) – 1:56.07
4. Ana Herceg (NTRO) – 1:56.18
5. Madelyn Mechling (MAC) – 1:56.39
6. Maggie McGuire (SCALO – 1:57.07
7. Gabi Baldwin (SCSC) – 1:58.81
8. Melinda Johnson (FST) – 1:58.86

Men’s 200 Yard Backstroke – Heats

• SC Juniors Meet Record – 1:40.79 Jacob Pebley 2011
• 13/14 National Age Group Record – 1:43.15 Michael Andrew 2014
• 15/16 National Age Group Record – 1:40.90 Ryan Murphy 2011
• 17/18 National Age Group Record – 1:37.35 Ryan Murphy 2014

Top 8 Finishers:

1. Keaton Jones (NEP) – 1:42.81
2. Tyler Lu (SMAC) – 1:42.97
3. Eric Stelmar (MAC) – 1:43.26
4. Harrison Lierz (EA) – 1:43.49
5. Tyler Hulet (TWST) – 1:44.54
6. Nathan Quarterman (BY) – 1:44.56
7. Ronald Dalmacio (1:46.04)
8. Joshua Cho (1:49.27)

Women’s 100 Yard Freestyle – Final

• SC Juniors Meet Record – 46.29 Abbey Weitzeil 2014
• 13/14 National Age Group Record – 47.67 Claire Curzan 2019
• 15/16 National Age Group Record – 47.49 Gretchen Walsh 2019
• 17/18 National Age Group Record – 46.09 Simone Manuel 2015

Top 8 Finishers:

1. Amy Tang (UN-PN) – 48.11
2. Janelle Rudolph (KING) – 48.76
3. Katherine Zenick (NTN) – 48.81
4. Gracie Felner (BC) – 49.15
5. Riley Francis (LAC) / Ella Mazurek (QSS) – 49.60
6. (tie)
7. Samantha Pearson (SCAL) – 49.95
8. Elizabeth Cook (THSC) – 49.97

Men’s 100 Yard Freestyle – Final

• SC Juniors Meet Record – 41.23 Ryan Hoffer 2015
• 13/14 National Age Group Record – 43.90 Michael Andrew 2014
• 15/16 National Age Group Record – 42.67 Ryan Hoffer 2013
• 17/18 National Age Group Record – 41.23 Ryan Hoffer 2015

Top 8 Finishers:

1. Matt King (BC) – 43.22
2. Daniel Wilson (SSC) – 43.42
3. Lukas Miller (EA) – 43.58
4. Aiden Hayes (SSC) – 44.01
5. David Oderinde (PACK) – 44.25
6. Collins Fuchs (PACK) – 44.26
7. Danny Syrkin (ROSE) – 44.47
8. Luke Barr (SCSC) – 44.85

Women’s 200 Yard Breaststroke – Final

• SC Juniors Meet Record – 2:06.02 Alex Walsh 2018
• 13/14 National Age Group Record – 2:10.22 Allie Szekely 2012
• 15/16 National Age Group Record – 2:06.45 Alex Walsh 2018
• 17/18 National Age Group Record – 2:05.87Alex Walsh 2019

Top 8 Finishers:

1. Kaitlyn Dobler (TDPS) – 2:09.50
2. Emma Weber (TOPS) – 2:10.39
3. Zoey Zeller (SCSC) – 2:11.34
4. Shelby Suppinger (CROW) – 2:12.41
5. Morganne Malloy (NOVA) – 2:13.70
6. Melanie Julia (PASA) – 2:13.80
7. Jess Yeager (NTRO) – 2:14.03
8. Eva Carlson (TDPS) – 2:15.67

Men’s 200 Yard Breaststroke – Final

• SC Juniors Meet Record – 1:52.37 Reece Whitley 2016
• 13/14 National Age Group Record – 1:55.52 Reece Whitley 2014
• 15/16 National Age Group Record – 1:52.37 Reece Whitley 2016
• 17/18 National Age Group Record – 1:51.43 Reece Whitley 2017

Top 8 Finishers:

1. Ben Dillard (SMST) – 1:54.74
2. Hayden Zheng (AQJT) – 1:54.98
3. Ethan Dang (BC) – 1:55.87
4. Alexander Sanchez (MTRO) – 1:58.26
5. Zhier Fan (MTRO) – 1:58.82
6. Alex Deng (AQJT) – 1:58.91
7. Vincent Ribeiro (NTRO) – 1:59.01
8. Shogo Moridaira (PASA) – 1:59.53

Women’s 200 Yard Butterfly – Final

• SC Juniors Meet Record – 1:51.24 Regan Smith 2018
• 13/14 National Age Group Record – 1:55.29 Tess Howley 2019
• 15/16 National Age Group Record – 1:51.24 Regan Smith 2018
• 17/18 National Age Group Record – 1:51.04 Ella Eastin 2016

Top 8 Finishers:

1. Justina Kozan (BREA) – 1:54.75
2. Emma Sticklen (KATY) – 1:56.20
3. Morgan Gore (SMST) – 1:57.91
4. Lucy Bell (FAST) – 1:58.18
5. Elizabeth Cook (THSC) – 1:58.64
6. Sarah Kutz (ASC) – 1:59.30
7. Sanne Dequine (DART) – 2:01.00
8. Anna Orgen (RSC) – 2:02.02

Men’s 200 Yard Butterfly – Final

• SC Juniors Meet Record – 1:40.91 Gianluca Urlando 2018
• 13/14 National Age Group Record – 1:45.39 Michael Andrew 2014
• 15/16 National Age Group Record – 1:40.91 Gianluca Urlando 2018
• 17/18 National Age Group Record – 1:40.85 Nicolas Albiero 2018

Top 8 Finishers:

1. Aiden Hayes (SSC) – 1:41.34
2. Jonathan Affeld (ALTO) – 1:44.02
3. Coby Carrozza (TXLA) – 1:44.28
4. Seung Joon Ahn (KATY) – 1:44.64
5. Bence Szabados (CWAC) – 1:45.23
6. Vincent Cheng (BREA) – 1:45.79
7. Jordan Tiffany (HAST) – 1:46.58
8. Lukas Miller (EA) – 1:47.59

Women’s 4×100 Freestyle – Timed Finals

• SC Juniors Meet Record: 3:16.62 SwimMAC Carolina (A Marsh, E Brown, C Lappin, J Merritt) 2015
• 13-14 NAG: 3:21.90 Nation’s Capital 2019
• 15-16 NAG: 3:19.17 Gator Swim Club 2016
• 17-18 NAG: 3:16.62 SwimMAC 2015
• 15-18 NAG: 3:15.38 Carmel Swim Club 2015

Top 8 Finishers:

Men’s 4×100 Freestyle – Timed Finals

• SC Juniors Meet Record: 2:55.89 Bolles School Sharks (J Booth, C Dressel, S Condorelli, J Schooling) 2012
• 13-14 NAG: 3:09.70 Irvine Novaquatics 2015
• 15-16 NAG: 3:01.01 Upper Dublin A.C. 2014
• 17-18 NAG: 2:56.15 SwimMAC 2013
• 15-18 NAG: 2:53.81 Allegheny North Swim Club 2018

Top 8 Finishers:

Read the full story on SwimSwam: 2019 Speedo Winter Junior Championships–West: Day 4 Finals Live Recap

By Braden Keith on SwimSwam

2019 SPEEDO WINTER JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS – WEST

• December 11th-14th, 2019
• King County Aquatic Center, Federal Way, Washington
• SCY (25y) Course
• Pre-scratch timeline
• Psych Sheets
• Real-time Results
• Saturday Finals Heat Sheets

Aiden Hayes, an NC State commit and the #2-ranked recruit in the high school class of 2021, entered this weekend’s Winter Junior Championships as a known quantity in the sprint freestyles. He was the nation’s fastest high school junior in the 100 yard fly, and he backed up that sprint reputation with a 19.58 to win the 50 free on Thursday, followed by a 46.01 in the 100 fly and 46.31 in the 100 back on Friday to place 2nd and 1st, respectively.

But Hayes, swimming his 2nd race of the session, showed off a new dimension on Saturday with a dominant win in the 200 yard fly. The 16-year old from the Sooner Swim Club in Oklahoma swam a 1:41.34 that was nearly 3 seconds ahead of runner-up Jonathan Affeld in that race (1:44.02).

That time for Hayes moves him into 2nd place in USA Swimming history in the event among 15-16 year olds, behind only Luca Urlando (1:40.91). The swimmer he jumped for 2nd place on that list is one Michael Phelps, who until this summer was the World Record holder in the 200 fly in long course meters and who has won 10 major international gold medals int he 200 fly (including 3 times at the Olympic Games).

Hayes’ best time coming into the meet in the 200 fly was a 1:47.01 done in March, meaning he dropped almost 6 seconds on Saturday alone in the event. To highlight just how stunning of a swim this is for Hayes particularly: his 200 fly best time (1:41.34) is now faster than his 200 free best time (1:42.34) by a second.

Urlando’s swim from last year’s championships remains the Winter Juniors and Winter Juniors – West record. Urlando didn’t swim at the meet this season.

Top 5 Performers All-Time, Boys’ 15-16 200 Yard Fly

1. Luca Urlando, 2018 – 1:40.91
2. Aiden Hayes, 2019 – 1:41.34
3. Michael Phelps, 2002 – 1:42.10
4. Brendan Burns, 2017 – 1:42.94
5. Alex Valente, 2014 – 1:44.10

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Aiden Hayes Jumps Michael Phelps for 2nd Place All-Time in 15-16 200 Yard Fly

By Retta Race on SwimSwam

2019 QUEENSLAND CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Saturday, December 14th – Friday, December 20th
• 12/14 – relays only; 12/18 – 12/20 age-groupers
• Brisbane Aquatic Center
• LCM
• Meet Site/Entry List
• SwimSwam Preview
• Day 2 Recap

While competing on the first non-relay day of Queensland Championships racing at the Brisbane Aquatic Center, 20-year-old Zac Stubblety-Cook became the 7th fastest 200m breaststroke performer of all-time.

After claiming the top seed of the morning in a time of 2:10.24, Stubblety-Cook dropped the hammer to power his way to a ferocious 2:07.28 to take the state title in a Queensland Record and QLD All Comers Record. That easily beat out runner-up Olympian Yasuhiro Koseki and his time of 2:12.48. Koseki and his fellow compatriots are competing in Queensland in the midst of a training camp.

Splitting 1:01.71/1:05.57, Stubblety-Cook’s 2:07.28 shaves .08 off of the swimmer’s previous lifetime best of 2:07.36 produced in Gwangju, Korea this summer at the World Championships.

With all eyes on fellow Australian Matt Wilson, who logged a World Record in the morning of that meet and ultimately finished with the silver, Stubblety-Cook quietly finished in 4th place. Splits for that 2:07.36 outing included 1:02.04/1:05.32, showing how the man relied on quicker speed on the front end when comparing the two races.

The only other time Stubblety-Cook had been sub-2:08 was en route to winning silver at the 2018 Pan Pacific Championships. He earned runner-up behind former World Record holder Ippei Watanabe in a time of 2:07.89.

Even with just a .08 best time drop to his new low of 2:07.28, Stubblety-Cook moves from having been the 11th fastest performer to now entering the top 10 at slot #8, according to the USA Swimming database. That’s a huge confidence boost for the man from down under heading into the final months of Olympic Trials preparation.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Aussie Stubblety-Cook Becomes 7th Fastest 200 Breast Performer All-Time

By Braden Keith on SwimSwam

2019 NCAP INVITATIONAL

• December 12th-15th, 2019
• University of Maryland College Park
• SCY (25y) pool
• Psych Sheets
• Results on Meet Mobile

The 200 butterfly races were the highlights of Saturday’s racing at the 2019 NCAP Invitational. In the boys’ final, Landon Gentry of the hosts NCAP swam a 1:46.06. Not only was that a lifetime best by almost 3 seconds, but it’s the 5th-best time for a 15-year old boy in USA Swimming history.

Top 6 All-Time, Boys’ 200 Yard Fly, 15-Year Olds

1. Luca Urlando – 1:43.55
2. Brendan Burns – 1:45.24
3. Michael Phelps – 1:45.50
4. Michael Andrew – 1:45.97
5. Landon Gentry– 1:46.06
6. Andrew Seliskar – 1:46.49

The time also jumps him to 20th-place all-time in the 15-16 age group rankings, even though he’s in the front-half of the age group. Gentry doesn’t age up until May, either, which means that he will have at least one more taper meet, at the NCSA Spring Junior National Championships, in March before even turning 16.

Gentry’s jump in short course follows a good swim in the 200 fly in long course last week at the U.S. Open. There he swam 2:01.30, but was disqualified for a 15 meter violation, so he doesn’t yet have an Olympic Trials standard in the race.

In the girls’ 200 fly, US National Teamer Torri Huske followed a best time on Friday in the 100 fly with one on Saturday in the 200 fly in 1:55.17. That improves her previous lifetime best by a second. This swim moves Huske, who turned 17 last week, up to 16th place all-time in the 17-18 age group in the event. On Friday, she won the 100 fly, her better distance, in 50.49, which ranks her 4th in the age group history.

She also won the 400 IM (4:11.26) on Friday and the 50 free (22.08) on Saturday, giving her 4 individual victories at the meet so far. She’s entered in the 100 free and 200 IM for Sunday.

The 2nd-fastest 200 fly of the day actually came out of the 13-14 age group final, where Long Island Aquatic Club’s Tess Howley swam a 1:55.59. That’s three-tenths of a second away from her National Age Group Record of 1:55.29 set in March at NCSAs.

Phoebe Bacon, after placing 2nd behind Huske int he 50 free, won her specialty race the 100 back in 50.70 on Saturday. Bacon, who last week won the U.S. Open title in the 100 back in this race in long course, dropped .48 seconds from her previous best swim in that event. She has jumped, among others, Kathleen Baker, Missy Franklin, and Katharine Berkoff to now rank 5th all-time in the 17-18 age group (even as a 17-year old).

Top 5 Performers All-Time, Girls’ 17-18 100 Yard Backstroke

1. Regan Smith – 49.66
2. Isabel Ivey – 50.42
3. Amy Bilquist – 50.50
4. Rachel Bootsma – 50.54
5. Phoebe Bacon– 50.70

Other Notable Results from Saturday:

• 18-year old Brian Brennan from the Suburban Seahawks won the boys’ 50 free in 20.19 – within a tenth of a second of his lifetime best. He’s verbally committed to the University of Virginia.
• Anna Keating of Machine Aquatics won the girls’ 200 breaststroke in 2:10.21 – more than 3 seconds ahead of the field. She’s also a Virginia commit.
• Machine Aquatics swept the 200 breaststrokes when Joe Schaefer won the boys’ race in 2:00.39. He’s a West Virginia commit.
• NCAP’s Paige McKenna won the girls’ 400 free in 4:40.41, which is a new best time for her and jumps her a few spots on the all-time 15-16 age group rankings to 23rd, just ahead of Olympic medalist Elizabeth Beisel. Cavan Gormsen, who already has a 13-14 age group win in the 1650 free, won the 13-14 500 on Saturday in 4:45.42.
• Garrett McGovern from NOVA won the boys’ 500 free in 4:28.76 ahead of mile winner JuanCarlos Castrillon (4:29.42). The 15-year old Castrillon, who dropped 23 seconds to win the mile, dropped five-and-a-half seconds to place 2nd in this 500 free.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Phoebe Bacon Goes Sub-51 in 100 Back for First Time in Her Career

By Braden Keith on SwimSwam

2019 NCAP INVITATIONAL

• December 12th-15th, 2019
• University of Maryland College Park
• SCY (25y) pool
• Psych Sheets
• Results on Meet Mobile

At the 2018 NCAP Invitational, the host NCAP team broke 5 National Age Group Records in mixed relays. This weekend at the 2019 NCAP Invitational, they matched that output with 5 more mixed relay National Age Gorup Records (6 including relays that broke multiple records).

On Friday, the team broke the 15-16 record in the mixed 200 medley relay with a 1:37.57– taking four-and-a-half seconds off the old record. They also cracked the 15-18 mixed 200 free relay record in 1:26.54.

On Saturday, the group of Phoebe Bacon, Georgia Johnson, Landon Gentry, and Trace Wall combined for a 3:25.84 in the mixed 400 medley relay to break the old 15-18 record. That old record of 3:33.93 was set by the Fort Collins Area Swim Team in 2017, and NCAP’s relay broke the mark by 8 seconds. Some members of that relay are 15-16s and some are 17-18s, so they weren’t eligible for the records in either of those more limiting categories.

NCAP 15-18 Mixed 400 Medley Relay Record splits:

• Bacon (female – backstroke) – 50.94
• Johnson (female – breaststroke) – 1:02.61
• Gentry (male – butterfly) – 48.09
• Wall (male – freestyle) – 44.20
• Total Time: 3:25.84

The top 3 teams in that event on Saturday were all under the old National Age Group Record, including Machine Aquatics in 3:28.65 and the NCAP B relay in 3:29.39.

That NCAP B relay won’t go home empty-handed, however. The team of Zac Leith, Eric Liao, Mackenzie McConagha, and Erin Gemmell combined for a 3:29.39. Those swimmers are all either 15 or 16, meaning that they now own the 15-16 National Age Group Record. While USA Swimming hasn’t formally recognized a previous record in that race, the fastest since records in this event were first recognized for a 15-16 relay was 3:35.31 set by Asphalt Green in 2018.

NCAP 15-16 Mixed 400 Medley Relay Record Splits:

• Leith (male – backstroke) – 50.37
• Liao (male – breaststroke) – 55.97
• McConagha (female – butterfly) – 54.64
• Gemmell (female – freestyle) – 48.40
• Total Time: 3:29.39

Then, on Sunday, they set a new 15-16 National Age Group Record in the mixed 400 free relay. This time, it was the team of Brett Feyerick, Landon Gentry, Camille Spink, and Erin Gemmell that combined for a 3:09.79 in the 400 free relay. Feyerick was the only 16-year old on that relay: the other 3 members are all 15.

NCAP 15-16 Mixed 400 Free Relay Record Splits:

• Feyerick (male) – 46.05
• Gentry (male) – 46.17
• Gemmell (female) – 49.00
• Spink (female) – 48.57
• Total Time: 3:09.79

USA Swimming doesn’t have a recognized record for the 15-16 400 yard free relay and has not published a benchmark, but this NCAP relay should clear whatever standard has been set. The previous fastest relay in the USA Swimming times database is a 3:26.20 done by Northern Lights Swimming Association in 2018, but given that the all-girls relay record in the age group is a 3:19, that record was bound to be broken.

This NCAP relay also broke the old 15-18 National Age Group Record in the mixed 400 free relay, which was a 3:11.90 set by a fully-different foursome (that included Phoebe Bacon) last year.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: NCAP Breaks 4 More Mixed Relay National Age Group Records with 3 More Relays

By Giusy Cisale on SwimSwam

Federico Burdisso ha stabilito oggi il nuovo primato italiano in vasca corta nei 200 metri farfalla.

Durante le gare del Campionato Nazionale a Squadre, “Coppa caduti di Brema“, Burdisso ha fermato il crono a 1:52.52, stabilendo il Record Italiano assoluto sulla distanza.

Il record precedente era stato fissato da Alberto Razzetti ai Campionati Italiani Giovanili del 2019 con  il tempo di  1:52.80.

Federico Burdisso è tornato a gareggiare ai Campionati Assoluti di Riccione questa settimana. All’inizio di questo autunno aveva deciso di rinunciare ai Campionati Europei in vasca corta per concentrarsi sulla vasca da 50 metri.

Nei 100 metri farfalla ha conquistato il bronzo con il tempo di 52.51.

Nella gara più lunga, si è laureato campione d’Italia, non riuscendo a centrare il tempo limite per la qualificazione individuale alle Olimpiadi di Tokyo 2020.

Nei 200 metri farfalla è bronzo Europeo in vasca lunga, conquistato durante i Campionati Europei 2018 di Glasgow, Scozia.

Questa estate, ai Campionati del Mondo FINA, che si sono svolti a Gwangju, Federico Burdisso arriva alla finale dei 200 metri farfalla.

In quella finale l’ungherese Kristof Milak vinse l’oro stabilendo il nuovo Record del Mondo con il tempo di 1:50.73.

Burdisso fermò il tempo a 1:54.39, classificandosi quinto al mondo e stabilendo il nuovo Record Italiano.

Il 2020 per Federico Burdisso inizierà con il trasferimento negli Stati Uniti d’America. Lì studierà ingegneria al college e gareggerà con i Wildcats Northwestern, nel circuito NCAA.

BURDISSO INTERNATIONAL MEDALS

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Federico Burdisso Stabilisce Record Italiano 200 Farfalla Vasca Corta

By Braden Keith on SwimSwam

2019 Speedo Winter Junior Championships – West

• December 11th-14th, 2019
• King County Aquatic Center, Federal Way, Washington
• SCY (25y) Course
• Pre-scratch timeline
• Psych Sheets
• Real-time Results
• Saturday Finals Heat Sheets

Women’s 1650 Free – Ashley Strouse, 17, Scottsdale Aquatic Club – 16:14.84 (Fastest Heat)

Men’s 1650 Free – David Johnston, 18, Rockwall Aquatic Center for Excellence – 14:51.42 (Fastest Heat)

Women’s 200 Back – Isabelle Stadden, 17, Aquajets Swim Team – 1:50.50

Men’s 200 Back – Keaton Jones, 15, Swim Neptune – 1:42.81

Women’s 100 Free – Amy Tang, 16, Unattached – 48.11

Men’s 100 Free – Matt King, 17, Bellevue Club Swim Team – 43.22

Women’s 200 Breast – Kaitlyn Dobler,17, The Dolphins Swim Team – 2:09.50

Men’s 200 Breast – Ben Dillard, 18, Sierra Marlins Swim Team – 1:54.74 (Winter Juniors West Record)

Women’s 200 Fly – Justina Kozan, 15, Brea Aquatics – 1:54.75

Men’s 200 Fly – Aiden Hayes, 16, Sooner Swim Club – 1:41.34

Women’s 400 Free Relay – Lakeside Aquatic Club – 3:20.21 (Fastest Heat)

Men’s 400 Free Relay – Rose Bowl Aquatics – 2:58.95 (Fastest Heat)

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Watch: Day 4 Race Videos, 2019 Speedo Winter Junior Championships – West

By Braden Keith on SwimSwam

World Champion breaststroker Anton Chupkov has been named Russia’s top athlete for 2019 at the annual Pride of Russia awards held on Thursday in Moscow.

Chupkov was nominated as one of 3 finalists for the award, beating out snowboarder Dimitry Loginov and freestyle skiier Maxim Burov. Loginov was a double World Champion in 2019 in the parallel grand slalom and parallel slalom events, while Burov won a World Championship in aerials and a bronze medal in mixed aerials.

Chupkov won a World Championship in the 200 breaststroke this summer in a new World Record time of 2:06.12. That is a second-straight World Championship for him in long course, which is sandwiched around a European Championship in 2018.

Also in 2019, Chupkov won 3 gold medals representing Russia at the World Military Games – topping the podium in the 100 breaststroke, 200 breaststroke, and 400 medley relay.

Chupkov didn’t race at the European Championships in short course – he’s never won a major medal in short course and hasn’t raced at the European Championships in SCM since 2015 – his stroke doesn’t necessarily lend itself to short course swimming as well as it does to long course swimming.

The head of the federation, Vladimir Salnikov, was nominated for the Legend of Domestic Sport award, honoring champions of the past. Salnikov, now a member of the FINA Bureau and a leader of domestic and global swimming and Olympic sports, is a 4-time World Champion. He won 3 gold medals at the 1980 Olympics, where much of the world boycotted, and a 4th at the 1988 Games when he was 28 years old – in a period when most athletes were retiring by then. He may have won more were it not for the Russian boycott of the 1984 Olympics.

Figure skating coach Tamara Moskvina won that award.

The National Sports Awards were established by the Russian Federation in 2010 in order to stimulate the professional activities of athletes, coaches, and physical education specialists. The winners are determined by a combination of an expert council and a public vote. The expert council includes athletes, leaders of national sports, government officials, and popular cultural figures in Russia.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Breaststroker Anton Chupkov Named Top Russian Athlete of 2019

By Anne Lepesant on SwimSwam

2019 Speedo Winter Junior Championships

• December 11th-14th, 2019
• Georgia Tech Campus Recreation Center │ King County Aquatic Center
• SCY (25y) Course
• Pre-scratch Timeline East│ Pre-scratch Timeline West
• Psych Sheets East│ Psych Sheets West
• Real-time Results East│ Real-time Results West

With the Speedo Winter Junior Championships meets split between two locations, we’ll be putting together nightly lists of the top eight finishers in each championship final, combining results from the two meets.

Women’s 1650 Yard Freestyle – Fastest Heat

• SC Juniors Meet Record – 15:56.39 Gabrielle Kopenski 2014
• 13/14 National Age Group Record – 15:54.46 Becca Mann 2012
• 15/16 National Age Group Record – 15:15.17 Katie Ledecky 2013
• 17/18 National Age Group Record – 15:13.30 Katie Ledecky 2015

Top 8 Finishers:

1. Abigail McCulloh, SA – 16:09.55
2. Olivia McMurray, SWIM – 16:12.75
3. Ashley Strouse, SAC – 16:14.84
4. Liberty Williams, RAA – 16:21.09
5. Kathryn Shanley, FST – 16:24.16
6. Jillian Cox, ATAC – 16:24.28
7. Kylee Grafmiller, BTA – 16:28.47
8. Caroline Pennington, BAD – 16:29.74

Men’s 1650 Yard Freestyle – Fastest Heat

• SC Juniors Meet Record – 14:37.71 Michael Brinegar 2017
• 13/14 National Age Group Record – 15:14.17 Arthur Frayler 2008
• 15/16 National Age Group Record – 14:45.40 Sean Grieshop 2014
• 17/18 National Age Group Record – 14:34.46 P.J. Ransford 2015

Top 8 Finishers:

1. David Johnston, RACE – 14:51.42
2. Jake Magahey, SA – 14:51.76
3. Jake Mitchell, CSC – 14:57.92
4. Charlie Clark, VSC – 15:07.84
5. Ethan Heasley, HEAT – 15:08.40
6. Jack Vandeusen, BSS – 15:08.66
7. Jackson Carlile, FAST – 15:08.71
8. Tyler Kopp, KATY – 15:08.96

Women’s 200 Yard Backstroke – Heats

• SC Juniors Meet Record – 1:50.16 Katharine Berkoff 2018
• 13/14 National Age Group Record – 1:51.07 Missy Franklin 2010
• 15/16 National Age Group Record – 1:48.30 Regan Smith 2018
• 17/18 National Age Group Record – 1:47.16 Regan Smith 2019

Top 8 Finishers:

1. Isabelle Stadden, AQJT – 1:50.50
2. Rye Ulett, DYNA – 1:53.68
3. Sophia Tuinman, CW – 1:55.19
4. Sydney Silver, TOPS – 1:55.84
5. Annabel Crush, LAK – 1:55.89
6. Malia Francis, MWWM – 1:56.07
7. Ana Herceg, NTRO – 1:56.18
8. Madelyn Mechling, MAC – 1:56.39

Men’s 200 Yard Backstroke – Heats

• SC Juniors Meet Record – 1:40.79 Jacob Pebley 2011
• 13/14 National Age Group Record – 1:43.15 Michael Andrew 2014
• 15/16 National Age Group Record – 1:40.90 Ryan Murphy 2011
• 17/18 National Age Group Record – 1:37.35 Ryan Murphy 2014

Top 8 Finishers:

1. Wyatt Davis, CSC – 1:40.85
2. Carson Foster, RAYS – 1:41.54
3. Jack Aikins, SA – 1:42.63
4. Keaton Jones, NEP – 1:42.81
5. Tyler Lu, SMAC – 1:42.97
6. Eric Stelmar, MAC – 1:43.26
7. Harrison Lierz, EA – 1:43.49
8. Anthony Rincon, TWST – 1:44.01

Women’s 100 Yard Freestyle – Heats

• SC Juniors Meet Record – 46.29 Abbey Weitzeil 2014
• 13/14 National Age Group Record – 47.67 Claire Curzan 2019
• 15/16 National Age Group Record – 47.49 Gretchen Walsh 2019
• 17/18 National Age Group Record – 46.09 Simone Manuel 2015

Top 8 Finishers:

1. Claire Curzan, TAC – 47.85
2. Amy Tang, UN-PN – 48.11
3. Lindsay Flynn, ATOM – 48.56
4. Micayla Cronk, BD – 48.75
5. Janelle Rudolph, KING – 48.76
6. Katherine Zenick, NTN – 48.81
7. Tristen Ulett, DYNA – 49.13
8. Gracie Felner, BC – 49.15

Men’s 100 Yard Freestyle – Heats

• SC Juniors Meet Record – 41.23 Ryan Hoffer 2015
• 13/14 National Age Group Record – 43.90 Michael Andrew 2014
• 15/16 National Age Group Record – 42.67 Ryan Hoffer 2013
• 17/18 National Age Group Record – 41.23 Ryan Hoffer 2015

Top 8 Finishers:

1. Jack Alexy, SHY – 42.87
2. Jake Magahey, SA – 43.12
3. Matt King, BC – 43.22
4. Adam Chaney, RAYS – 43.39
5. Daniel Wilson, SSC – 43.42
6. Matthew Jensen, UDAC – 43.49
7. Lukas Miller, EA – 43.58
8. Arsenio Bustos, WAC – 43.62

Women’s 200 Yard Breaststroke – Heats

• SC Juniors Meet Record – 2:06.02 Alex Walsh 2018
• 13/14 National Age Group Record – 2:10.22 Allie Szekely 2012
• 15/16 National Age Group Record – 2:06.45 Alex Walsh 2018
• 17/18 National Age Group Record – 2:05.87Alex Walsh 2019

Top 8 Finishers:

1. Abby Arens, MOR – 2:09.49
2. Kaitlyn Dobler, TDPS – 2:09.50
3. Emma Weber, TOPS – 2:10.39
4. Grace Rainey, MAC – 2:10.78
5. Letitia Sim, TNT – 2:11.03
6. Zoey Zeller, SCSC – 2:11.34
7. Shelby Suppinger, CROW – 2:12.41
8. Adeline Farrington, SA – 2:12.73

Men’s 200 Yard Breaststroke – Heats

• SC Juniors Meet Record – 1:52.37 Reece Whitley 2016
• 13/14 National Age Group Record – 1:55.52 Reece Whitley 2014
• 15/16 National Age Group Record – 1:52.37 Reece Whitley 2016
• 17/18 National Age Group Record – 1:51.43 Reece Whitley 2017

Top 8 Finishers:

1. Josh Matheny, PEAQ – 1:52.12
2. Matt Fallon, SVY – 1:54.18
3. Ben Dillard, SMST – 1:54.74
4. Hayden Zheng, AQJT – 1:54.98
5. Ethan Dang, BC – 1:55.87
6. Tyler Christianson, NAAC – 1:56.01
7. Maxwell Reich, PHX – 1:56.32
8. Reid Mikuta, SGSA – 1:56.34

Women’s 200 Yard Butterfly – Heats

• SC Juniors Meet Record – 1:51.24 Regan Smith 2018
• 13/14 National Age Group Record – 1:55.29 Tess Howley 2019
• 15/16 National Age Group Record – 1:51.24 Regan Smith 2018
• 17/18 National Age Group Record – 1:51.04 Ella Eastin 2016

Top 8 Finishers:

1. Claire Curzan, TAC – 1:54.36
2. Justina Kozan, BREA – 1:54.75
3. Megan Deuel, PACK – 1:55.70
4. Gabi Albiero, CARD – 1:55.82
5. Tristen Ulett, DYNA – 1:55.88
6. Emma Sticklen, KATY – 1:56.20
7. Morgan Gore, SMST – 1:57.91
8. Lucy Bell, FAST – 1:58.18

Men’s 200 Yard Butterfly – Heats

• SC Juniors Meet Record – 1:40.91 Gianluca Urlando 2018
• 13/14 National Age Group Record – 1:45.39 Michael Andrew 2014
• 15/16 National Age Group Record – 1:40.91 Gianluca Urlando 2018
• 17/18 National Age Group Record – 1:40.85 Nicolas Albiero 2018

Top 8 Finishers:

1. Aiden Hayes, SSC – 1:41.34
2. Matthew Fenlon, BAD – 1:42.53
3. Jonathan Affeld, ALTO – 1:44.02
4. Coby Carrozza, TXLA – 1:44.28
5. Seung Joon Ahn, KATY – 1:44.64
6. Bence Szabados, CWAC – 1:45.23
7. Vincent Cheng, BREA – 1:45.79
8. Jace Crawford, EAJ – 1:45.92

Women’s 4×100 Freestyle – Timed Finals

• SC Juniors Meet Record: 3:16.62 SwimMAC Carolina (A Marsh, E Brown, C Lappin, J Merritt) 2015
• 13-14 NAG: 3:21.90 Nation’s Capital 2019
• 15-16 NAG: 3:19.17 Gator Swim Club 2016
• 17-18 NAG: 3:16.62 SwimMAC 2015
• 15-18 NAG: 3:15.38 Carmel Swim Club 2015

Top 8 Finishers:

1. Aquatic Team Of Mecklenburg – 3:18.70
2. Dynamo Swim Club – 3:19.59
3. Lakeside Aquatics – 3:20.21
4. Scottsdale Aquatic Club – 3:20.40
5. Carmel Swim Club – 3:20.75
6. Bellevue Club Swim Team – 3:21.17
7. Club Wolverine – 3:21.58
8. Denver Hilltoppers – 3:22.06

Men’s 4×100 Freestyle – Timed Finals

• SC Juniors Meet Record: 2:55.89 Bolles School Sharks (J Booth, C Dressel, S Condorelli, J Schooling) 2012
• 13-14 NAG: 3:09.70 Irvine Novaquatics 2015
• 15-16 NAG: 3:01.01 Upper Dublin A.C. 2014
• 17-18 NAG: 2:56.15 SwimMAC 2013
• 15-18 NAG: 2:53.81 Allegheny North Swim Club 2018

Top 8 Finishers:

1. SwimAtlanta – 2:56.76
2. Carmel Swim Club – 2:58.34
3. Rose Bowl Aquatics – 2:58.95
4. SwimMAC Carolina A – 2:59.00
5. Premier Aquatics – 2:59.24
6. Upper Dublin Aquatic Club – 2:59.91
7. Bellevue Club Swim Team – 2:59.98
8. Mason Manta Rays B – 3:00.10

Read the full story on SwimSwam: 2019 Speedo Winter Junior Championships–Combined East/West Results Day 4

By Retta Race on SwimSwam

2019 SWIM CUP AMSTERDAM

• Friday, December 13th – Sunday, December 15th
• Amsterdam, Netherlands
• LCM
• Entry List
• SwimSwam Preview
• Day 1 Recap/Day 2 Recap
• Live Results
• Live Stream

After missing out on Olympic qualification in the men’s 100m backstroke earlier in the meet, Spaniard Hugo Gonzalez accomplished his Tokyo mission in the 200m IM.

While competing on the final day of the 2019 Swim Cup Amsterdam, 20-year-old Gonzalez snagged the gold in the men’s 200m IM in a time of 1:58.73, clearing the 2020 Olympic Games qualifying mark of 1:59.67. This result was paired with his 1:59.66 FINA ‘B’ cut-clearing morning swim in the heats, successfully fulfilling the criteria needed to add his name to the Spanish roster for next year’s Games.

Splits for Gonzalez’s effort here in Amsterdam included 55.47/1:03.06 to represent the 3rd fastest time of his career.

Gonzalez, who competes for the Cal Bears in the NCAA, owns a lifetime best and Spanish national record of 1:58.03 in this event, a mark he registered at the 2018 Spanish Championships. Since then, Gonzalez has had a rough go, missing out on advancement in his key events at this year’s World Championships.

In Gwangju, Gonzalez finished 34th in the 200m IM in 2:03.09, 37th in the 100m back in 55.67 and 31st in the 200m back in 2:01.84, with all times well off the Spaniard’s best marks.

Gonzalez is in his first season with the Bears after beginning his NCAA career at Auburn in the fall of 2017, then briefly transferring to Virginia Tech along with former Auburn assistant coach Sergio Lopez when he moved to take over the program.

Gonzalez returned to Spain early in the 2017-18 school year but ultimately made the move back to the States to join the Cal roster.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Spanish Cal Bear Hugo Gonzalez Qualifies For 2020 Olympic Games In 200 IM

By Retta Race on SwimSwam

2019 SWIM CUP AMSTERDAM

• Friday, December 13th – Sunday, December 15th
• Amsterdam, Netherlands
• LCM
• Entry List
• SwimSwam Preview
• Day 1 Recap/Day 2 Recap
• Live Results
• Live Stream

We reported how Spanish standout Hugo Gonzalez qualified for the 2020 Olympic Games in the men’s 200m IM, but the 20-year-old wasn’t the only one to accomplish the feat on the final day of action at the 2019 Swim Cup Amsterdam.

Dutch racers Ranomi Kromowidjojo and Femke Heemskerk each qualified for the women’s 50m free after their commanding performances in the event this evening.

2012 Olympic champion in the event Kromo first put up a fierce time of 24.42 in the morning to easily clear the 24.77 needed to include this event on her Tokyo agenda. The 29-year-old sealed the deal with her almost identical outing of 24.46 this evening that landed her atop the podium.

Heemskerk wasn’t too far behind, also clearing the Olympic standard with a silver medal-worthy result of 24.71. This makes a 2nd event for veteran Heemskerk, who already notched an Olympic qualifying time in the 100m free in last night’s action. The Dutch ace logged a winning 100m free mark of 53.23 to dip under the Tokyo threshold of 53.62, representing the only woman of last night’s final to do so. Kromo fell just short in 53.83.

Kromo doubled up on her 50m free victory with another gold in the 100m fly this evening. Stopping the clock in 59.36, Kromo led a trio of sub-minute swimmers, followed by Emilie Lovberg‘s (NOR) 59.38 and Maria Ugolkova‘s (SUI) 59.49. Lovberg’s time is a personal best, while Ugolkova’s was within .20 of her fastest result ever.

Equaling the Olympic qualifying standard in the men’s 100m fly was Isreali swimmer Tomer Frankel. The man touched the wall in exactly the FINA A cut of 51.92, with his performance consisting of splits of 24.29/27.63.

The European Short Course Champion in the event, Marius Kusch, settled for silver in 32.31 followed by Dutchman Joeri Verlinden‘s 52.36.

Visiting British swimmer Elliott Clogg of the City of Sheffield posted a winning 200m back mark of 1:57.96. That checks in as a huge personal best for the 19-year-old English national teamer, crushing his previous PB of 1:59.83 from this year’s British Summer Championships.

Splitting 57.21/1:00.75, Clogg’s time now ranks the Sheffield swimmer as the 7th fastest British performer all time.

Additional Notes:

• South African Commonwealth Games champion Tatjana Schoenmaker took 50m breast gold in 31.21.
• The men’s 50m breast saw Arno Kamminga complete his sweep of the discipline, notching a winning mark of 27.01. He had already lowered his own Dutch national record in the heats with his wicked-fast 26.90.
• Africa Zamorano of Spain got it done for the men’s 200m back gold, clocking 2:11.76.
• Swiss swimmer Maria Ugolkova topped the women’s 200m IM field in a mark of 2:11.97. That cleared the Tokyo cut of 2:12.12 by .15.
• Israeli swimmer Meiron Cheruti took the men’s 50m free in 22.08.
• After a grueling 400m IM, 400m free and 200m fly schedule last night, Spaniard Mireia Belmonte finished off her Swim Cup Amsterdam with a gold in the 800m free in 8:37.84. Albert Escrits of the same nation won the men’s race in 7:56.49.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Femke Heemskerk Qualifies For Tokyo In 50 & 100 Free From Amsterdam Cup

By Retta Race on SwimSwam

2019 SCOTTISH OPEN SHORT COURSE CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Friday, December 13th – Sunday, December 15th
• Royal Commonwealth Pool, Edinburgh
• SCM
• Entry List
• SwimSwam Preview
• Day 1 Recap/Day 2 Recap
• Live Results
• Live Stream

The 2019 Scottish Open Short Course Championships finished today in Edinburgh, but not before Olympian Ross Murdoch added another gold to his haul from the meet.

After already taking 50m and 100m breast gold over the first 2 days, Murdoch made it a clean sweep of the discipline, taking the 200m distance in a time of 2:03.71. That’s just off his best mark of 2:03.43 from last year, an outing which makes the University of Stirling star the 3rd fastest British performer of all-time in the event.

His Stirling teammate, Danielle Huskisson, made some magic in the women’s 1500m free, with the 26-year-old producing a winning effort of 16:08.01.

Another Stirling swimmer, Mark Szaranek, formerly of the University of Florida Gators, put up the winning 200m IM time of 1:53.54 to get the gold ahead of European Short Course Championships 400m free silver medalist Tom Dean. Dean grabbed runner-up this evening in this 2IM in 1:54.32.

Entering this meet, Szaranek’s previous personal best rested at the 1:53.77 notched at the 2016 World Short Course Championships in Windsor, Canada. As such, he sliced .23 off of that old PB to remain the 5th fastest British performer all-time.

Continuing her hot streak from the 100m/200m free double win in Glasgow, 18-year-old Freya Anderson took the 200m free tonight in 1:54.08. She won the gold last week in a time of 1:52.77, a new lifetime best and British national record.

Newcastle teenager Emily Large climbed atop the podium in the 200m fly in a time of 2:05.45, while Craig McNally doubled up on his 200m backstroke victory with a 51.50 winning effort in the 100m back tonight. That’s only .03 outside of McNally’s PB.

For Large, her outing this evening crushes her previous personal best of 2:06.60 and makes her the 4th fastest British performer all-time in the event.

Overall, the University of Stirling earned the overall club title for the meet, accumulating a point total of 1395.50.

Head Coach of the University of Stirling, Steven Tigg, said of his squad’s performances,“Really happy with how things have gone this weekend. There have been some real big steps in the right direction looking towards the Trials, and some real positive performances that I think will keep people motivated over Christmas and into the long course part of the season.

“We normally have a little bit of a rest coming into this meet, with the athletes shaved down,  and here is really about testing the skills, seeing where we are compared to previous seasons and hoping we can get a little bit of confidence going into the next part of the cycle and just having fun with it. A lot of them swim different events at these meet, ones they don’t normally compete in.”

With 2020 being an Olympic Year Tigg spoke about moving into the long course season, and said,

“We won’t change a huge amount of things but there will be a shift in focus to long course preparation. We’ll review what’s happened in this first cycle and we’ll take the elements we think have worked well and try and implement them into long course. And on the flip side we will try and learn and adjust a few things that hadn’t worked as well as we had hoped.”

Talking about the depth of squad, Tigg continued,

“This is a great squad. If you look across Europe it’s probably one of the strongest groups of swimmers you’ll collect. Myself, Brad and Josh all enjoy the privilege of getting to work with these guys. It keeps us motivated as well, it keeps us hungry, it keeps us excited about what this year and beyond can bring.

“The support from the University, Scottish Swimming, British Swimming, the sportscotland Institute is massive for us. It is a really exciting time at the University seeing the new facility being built and for a training environment in particular, I think it will be unrivalled across the UK and perhaps even further afield.”

The top ten club points were:

Quotes courtesy of Scottish Swimming.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Murdoch Completes Breast Sweep, Szaranek Puts Up 200 IM Personal Best

By Braden Keith on SwimSwam

Championship week has arrived for the 2019 International Swimming League schedule, which means the finishing touches for the inaugural season-long MVP award will see its finishing touches.

In any individual meet, Cali Condors swimmer Caeleb Dressel has proven himself to be the most valuable swimmer this season. In his first meet in Naples, Italy he won the MVP honors by 10 points ahead of Energy Standard’s Sarah Sjostrom 57.5 points – 52 points. In his second meet, the U.S. Derby in College Park, Maryland, he cruised to the MVP honor by a 10-point margin ahead of LA Current swimmer Beryl Gastaldello, 61.5-51.5.

But, he missed his team’s first meet in Indianapolis, Indiana, which could turn into a very expensive absence.

That’s because Dressel would be a huge favorite for the season-long MVP award, if he had raced in all 3 meets. Instead, Sjostrom is a big favorite heading into Las Vegas this weekend, holding a 19.5-point lead over her teammate Chad le Clos as the highest scorer this season in MVP points.

The winner of the match MVP award in Las Vegas will receive a $10,000 prize, while the winner of the season-long MVP award will receive a $50,000 prize.

While Sjostrom’s lead in MVP scoring is significant, it is not insurmountable, primarily for one reason: points at the Las Vegas championship meet will count double toward the season-long MVP award. In essence, that means the deficits that everyone has to Sjostrom in this ranking can be viewed as ‘halved’ for the finale.

Scoring becomes a whole different battle in the finale, where only the top 4 teams, which are by far the deepest 4 teams, compete. In Las Vegas, a few tenths could result in a slide from 1st or 2nd to 5th or 6th in certain races.

For Dressel, for example, who dominated the US Derby meet, he’ll now have to face Florent Manaudou and Ben Proud in the 50 free, and Chad le Clos in the 100 fly, and the Energy Standard and London Roar relays, in addition to the LA Current relays that he had to face in Maryland.

Dressel will be the biggest inhibition to Sjostrom running away with this award. Not because he has a chance to make up the gap (which seems unlikely), but because he has at least 3 probable head-to-head matchups with Chad le Clos, who currently ranks 2nd in season-long MVP scoring. Le Clos would need a nearly-perfect meet to catch his teammate Sjostrom for season MVP, which would include a win in the 100 fly (he beat Dressel in that race in Naples), the 100 free (he was 2nd, almost a second behind Dressel, in Naples), and the 50 fly (he was 2nd behind Dressel in Naples). That’s in addition to any possible relay matchups.

In short: Sjostrom is the favorite to win the season MVP award, but is not a lock.

The meet begins on Friday, December 20th and wraps on Saturday, December 21st at Las Vegas’ Mandalay Bay Events Center. Both days will begin competition at 1:00 PM local time, or 3:00 PM Las Vegas time.

Top 8, Season MVP Award Standings

Reminder of how MVP Scoring Works:

• In most individual races, athletes receive points equivalent to the points scored for their team: 9 for 1st, 7 for 2nd, 6-5-4-3-2-1.
• In skins races, where team scoring points are tripled, athletes receive half of their team-scored points. The winner will score 13.5 MVP points, the runner-up will score 10.5 MVP points, followed by 6-5-2-1.5-1-.5
• In relay races, points scored for an athlete’s team are doubled relative to individual events. Those points are divided equally among the 4 members of the relay. So each member of a winning relay receives 4.5 points, followed by 3.5 points-3-2.5-2-1.5-1-.5
• Penalties for missing time standards or disqualifications in individual races are applied to MVP scoring, as are penalties for missing time standards in relays. Penalties for disqualifications in relay races are not applied to MVP scoring.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: International Swimming League Will Award $50,000 Prize for Season MVP