2022 WINTER JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS – EAST
Less than a week after the conclusion of the U.S. Open, some of the top junior swimmers in the country descend on Greensboro for the 2022 Speedo Winter Juniors – East. The western version of the meet happens simultaneously in Austin, Texas.
The meet follows the NCAA order of events, so we’ll kick things off with a relay session that features the 200 medley and 800 freestyle relays. The session is timed finals, and heats alternate between girls’ and boys’, so make sure to check the heat sheet, especially if you’re looking for when a specific team races.
Watch:
Girls’ 200 Medley Relay – Timed Finals
Meet Record: 1:37.60 – Carmel Swim Club (Berglund, Kitchel, Shackell, Christman), 2021- Pool Record: 1:32.93 – UVA (Gmelich, Wenger, Cuomo, Douglass), 2021
- 13-14 NAG Record: 1:41.87 – TAC Titans (Clark, Cotter, Curzan, Morris), 2019
- 15-16 NAG Record: 1:39.21 – Virginia Gators (Muzzy, Kulp, Bray, Hamilton), 2017
- 17-18 NAG Record: 1:38.98 – Nashville Aquatic Club (Hurt, A. Walsh, Massey, G. Walsh), 2020
PODIUM:
- Carmel Swim Club – 1:36.48 (MEET RECORD)
- TAC Titans – 1:39.58
- Sarasota Sharks – 1:39.71
In Heat 1, Michigan Lakeshore’s quartet of Grace Albrecht, Sophia Umstead, Ellie Todd, and Emma Albrecht took over the lead from Fainwood Scotch on the Umstead’s breaststroke leg. They did not surrender it, speeding to a heat win in 1:41.69.
Heat 2 went to Carmel Swim Club, who dominated the heat. They won by 3.10 seconds over the second place TAC Titans, with Berit Berglund (24.07), Molly Sweeney (27.46), Alex Shackell (22.83), and Megan Christman (22.12) combining for a meet record of 1:36.90. That breaks the previous record by .70 seconds, which Carmel also owned and had three of the same four relay legs.
In the final heat of the girls’ medley relay, SwimAtlanta touched first in 1:41.55, slotting into fourth place overall. Their team consisted of Hailey Dopson, Katie Christopherson, Lila Lillie, and Natalie Gilson, and they were the only team in the heat to break 1:42.
On Sarasota’s third place relay, Summer McIntosh got her first yards race in, splitting 23.63 on the butterfly leg.
Boys’ 200 Medley Relay – Timed Finals
- Meet Record: 1:26.52 – Mason Manta Rays (C. Foster, J. Foster, McDonald, Chaney), 2018
- Pool Record: 1:22.11 – Louisville (Whyte, Somov, Albiero, Sameh), 2021
- 13-14 NAG Record: 1:34.61 – Carmel Swim Club (Lancaster, Malicki, Haig, Enoch), 2020
- 15-16 NAG Record: 1:28.85 – Mason Manta Rays (C. Foster, Van Gorp, McDonald, Chaney), 2018
- 17-18 NAG Record: 1:26.43 – Spartan Aquatic Club (N. Stoffle, Lin, Muhammed, Sacca), 2020
PODIUM:
- New Albany Aquatics Club – 1:27.53
- Lakeside Swim Team – 1:27.60
- Bolles School Sharks – 1:28.68.
SwimAtlanta earned the win in heat 1 with a 1:29.82, with Dynamo taking second in 1:30.59.
Heat 2 saw a close battle between New Albany Aquatics Club and Lakeside Swim team, with New Albany edging out Lakeside by .07 seconds, 1:27.53 to 1:27.60. New Albany were first heading into the final leg, and Tuckor Lambert split 20.31 to hold off a charging Alex Thiesing (20.27). However, New Albany was disqualified, so Lakeside took the win. Cavalier Aquatics finished fifth in the heat, but Thomas Heilman split 20.26 on the fly leg to move them from eighth to fourth heading into freestyle.
Bolles School Sharks were in this heat as well, making it so that the top three from the heat all earned medals.
Update: Though it looked like New Albany were initially disqualified, their time once again appears as the winning time in MeetMobile. Carmel’s ‘A’ relay, which dominated heat 3, also appears to be disqualified. Representatives from both team’s have been called to the officials table. We’ll provide another update once results are official.
Update: New Albany’s original disqualification has been overturned, putting them back on top of the podium. Carmel remains disqualified. Their time would have earned them third place.
As we said, Carmel’s team easily won heat 3, posting the third fastest time in 1:27.87. They won the heat by 2.67 seconds ahead of Eagle Swim team; however, they were disqualified.
Heat 4 saw SwimMAC’s ‘B’ relay squad earn the heat win with a 1:30.45, finishing tenth (results pending). SwimMAC’s ‘A’ relay of Caleb Maldari, Ben Delmar, Harrison Ranier, and John Kroll sit fifth in 1:29.25.
Girls’ 800 Freestyle Relay – Timed Finals
Meet Record: 7:05.85 – Nashville Aquatic Club (Raab, G. Walsh, Nelson, A. Walsh), 2017- Pool Record: 6:50.99 – California (Runge, Cheng, Pelton, Franklin), 2015
- 13-14 NAG Record: 7:18.96 – NOVA Aquatics (G. Sheble, C. Sheble, Erickson, Ackerly), 2017
- 15-16 NAG Record: 7:08.94 – NCAP (Duncan, Spink, Wall, Gemmell), 2020
- 17-18 NAG Record: 7:06.69 – NCAP (Duncan, Wall, Spink, Gemmell), 2022
PODIUM:
The Sarasota Sharks ‘B’ team controlled heat 1 for the first 350 yards. Chatahoochee began to creep up though, and by the halfway mark had taken the lead. Chatahoochee and Sarasota were together first the first half of the third leg, but Chatachoochee began to extend their lead from that point on, and won the heat with a 2.52 second cushion, 7:21.36 to 7:23.88.
Summer McIntosh might be an actual cheat code. Back for her second race of the session, she split 1:40.19 to anchor Sarasota’s ‘A’ 800 free relay. In the next lane over, Carmel had steadily built up a 5.2 second lead over the first 600 yards. But once McIntosh dove in, she steadily began to eat away at that lead. She stopped the clock at 7:03.66, helping Sarasota earn the win in a new meet record. Carmel finished second in 7:07.10, 3.44 seconds back.
McIntosh’s split of 1:40.19 is the seventh-fastest all-time, and the only one in the top 25 list not done by an NCAA swimmer.
Boys’ 800 Freestyle Relay – Timed Finals
- Meet Record: 6:23.21 – Carmel Swim Club (Davis, Rothrock, Hadley, Mitchell), 2019
- Pool Record: 6:07.25 – Texas (Kibler, Katz, C. Foster, Sannem), 2021
- 13-14 NAG Record: 6:55.16 – SwimMAC (Osman, Turner, Clontz, Bartee), 2021
- 15-16 NAG Record: 6:30.45 – Rose Bowl Aquatics (Dalmacio, Kim, Larrick, Maurer), 2021
- 17-18 NAG Record: 6:23.21 – Carmel Swim Club (Davis, Rothrock, Hadley, Mitchell), 2019
PODIUM:
Lakeside appeared to take the win in the first heat of the boys’ 800 free relay, but were disqualified. Sarasota Sharks earned the heat win instead, ahead of the Mason Manta Rays.
In heat 2, Thomas Heilman lead off Cavalier Aquatics’ relay in 1:34.10, a new lifetime best for him by about half a second. Cavalier couldn’t hold onto the lead, ultimately finishing fourth in 6:33.43. The lead changed hands several times as the top four teams in the heat–SwimMAC, Swim Atlanta, Bolles, and Cavalier–battled for position.
Ultimately, SwimMAC touched first in a time of 6:29.63 with Caleb Maldari (1:37.64), Norvin Clontz (1:36.18), Jack Haywood (1:36.56), and Alex Ayers (1:39.25) combining to take over the top time in the event. Tristan DenBrok highlighted the second place Swim Atlanta’s relay with a 1:35.56 split.
