2016 U.S. WINTER JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS- EAST

We’re getting ready for day 3 finals at the 2016 U.S. Winter Junior Championships (East). Follow along with us for a live recap of tonight’s events, which include the 400 IM, 100 fly, 200 free, 100 breast, 100 back, and 200 free relay.

WOMEN’S 400 IM

GOLD: Brooke Forde , Lakeside Swim Team, 4:02.51

, Lakeside Swim Team, 4:02.51 SILVER: Samantha Burchill , Carmel Swim Club, 4:11.16

, Carmel Swim Club, 4:11.16 BRONZE: Kelly Pash, Marlins of Raleigh, 4:11.66

Lakeside Swim Team’s Brooke Forde dominated the 400 IM final, finishing almost 10 seconds ahead of the field with her 4:02.51. The battle for 2nd behind her was a close one, as 3 swimmers finished in the 4:11-range. Samantha Burchill and Kelly Pash rounded out the podium, while Madison Homovich (4:11.84) finished just off the podium.

MEN’S 400 IM

GOLD: Reece Whitley , Penn Charter Aquatic Club, 3:47.15

, Penn Charter Aquatic Club, 3:47.15 SILVER: Carson Foster , Mason Manta Rays, 3:48.09

, Mason Manta Rays, 3:48.09 BRONZE: Kieran Smith, Ridgefield Aquatics, 3:49.19

Reece Whitley took another second off his lifetime best, sweeping the IM races at this meet with his 3:47.15 victory in the 400 IM. 15-year-old Carson Foster made a big drop tonight to take silver behind him. The battle for bronze saw 3 men finish in the 3:49-range, led by Kieran Smith. Narrowly missing the podium were Christopher Smith (3:49.27) and Talmadge Davis (3:49.91).

WOMEN’S 100 FLY

It took a sub-53 swim to make the podium tonight, as the top 3 women were all in the 52-high range. Gator Swim Club’s Isabel Ivey ran down Enfinity Aquatics’ Olivia Carter on the back half, with Ivey out-touching her for the gold. Pine Crest’s Jessica Nava was sub-53 for the first time in her career to take bronze.

12-year-old Claire Curzan put up a big swim in the C-final, breaking Regan Smith’s 11-12 NAG Record with a 54.57 for 18th place.

MEN’S 100 FLY

Kingfish Aquatics’ Camden Murphy and Ohio State’s Noah Lense were neck-and-neck into the finish of the 100 fly, with Murphy getting his hands on the wall first for the gold. Cardinal Aquatics’ Nicolas Albiero secured the brinze medal, running down Bolles’ Ariel Spektor (47.39) on the final 25.

WOMEN’S 200 FREE

It was back-to-back gold for Isabel Ivey, who returned to the pool minuted after winning the 100 fly. Ivey narrowly trailed Greater Tampa Swimming Association’s Morgan Tankersley through the 100, but made her move on the 3rd 50 to break ahead for gold. Tankersley held on for silver, while Lakeside Swim Team’s Brooke Forde finished 3rd to pick up her 2nd medal of the night.

MEN’S 200 FREE

15-year-old John Walker from SwimMAC Carolina gave Carmel Swim Club’s Drew Kibler a big run for his money tonight, but came up just short. After cruising his way through prelims this morning, Kibler took the outside smoke approach to win gold in 1:33.40, just 4 hundredths off his own NAG Record from the 800 free relay leadoff on Wednesday night.

Walker, who had never broken 1:40 before this meet, made another big time drop to take silver in a blazing 1:33.73. Walker has more than a whole year left in the 15-16 age group, and he’s already the 2nd fastest of all time among 15-16 boys.

WOMEN’S 100 BREAST

GOLD: Alex Walsh , Nashville Aquatic Club, 58.80

, Nashville Aquatic Club, 58.80 SILVER: Emily Weiss , Cardinal Community Aquatics, 1:00.34

, Cardinal Community Aquatics, 1:00.34 BRONZE: Allison Raab, Nashville Aquatic Club, 1:00.63

Nashville Aquatic Club’s Alex Walsh took down the 15-16 NAG Record in the 100 breast, knocking another second off her best to set the bar at 58.80. Her teammate, Allison Raab, joined her on the podium, taking bronze behind Cardinal Community Aquatics’ Emily Weiss.

MEN’S 100 BREAST

GOLD: Reece Whitley , Penn Charter Aquatic Club, 52.95

, Penn Charter Aquatic Club, 52.95 SILVER: James Daugherty , Bolles School Sharks, 54.27

, Bolles School Sharks, 54.27 BRONZE: Jason Matthews, Ohio State Swim Club, 54.54

Coming off his gold medal performance in the 400 IM, Reece Whitley kept the ball rolling with a win in the 100 breast. That’s his 3rd individual victory of the meet so far. Bolles James Daugherty, a Cal commit and Florida state champ, came into the wall 2nd to outpace Ohio State Swim Club’s bronze medalist Jason Matthews.

WOMEN’S 100 BACK

GOLD: Alex Walsh , Nashville Aquatic Club, 52.32

, Nashville Aquatic Club, 52.32 SILVER: Julia Menkhaus , SwimMAC Carolina, 52.64

, SwimMAC Carolina, 52.64 BRONZE: Maddy Cohen, Swim Atlanta, 53.21

Alex Walsh hopped right back into the water after her record-setting 100 breast, this time racing in the 100 back final. Walsh earned golds in both races tonight, surging through the back half to outpace SwimMAC Carolina’s Julia Menkhaus. Both swimmers were sub-53 tonight, separated by just 3 tenths.

MEN’S 100 BACK

GOLD: Zachary Poti, Blue Dolphins, 47.74

SILVER: Nicolas Albiero, Cardinal Aquatics, 48.03

BRONZE: Clark Beach, Quest Swimming, 48.13

Blue Dolphin’s Zachary Poti was right at his prelims time, swimming the only sub-48 of the field to win gold. Nicolas Albiero picked up his 2nd medal of the session, taking silver by a tenth ahead of Quest Swimming’s Clark Beach.

Narrowly missing the podium was 15-year-old Destin Lasco, who took 4th in 48.25. Cardinal Aquatics’ Drew Kibler turned in a 48.57 to take 6th in his 2nd race of the night.

WOMEN’S 200 FREE RELAY

GOLD: Gator Swim Club, 1:31.16

SILVER: Nashville Aquatic Club, 1:31.55

BRONZE: Carmel Swim Club, 1:31.81

A close battle to the finish saw the top 3 teams all finish in the 1:31-range. Nashville Aquatic Club led through the 150 after Alex Walsh dropped a 22.03 on the 3rd leg, but Gator Swim Club’s Isabel Ivey came up with a 22.33 to overtake NAC in the end.

MEN’S 200 FREE RELAY

GOLD: Bolles School Sharks, 1:20.44

SILVER: SwimMAC Carolina, 1:21.95

BRONZE: Baylor Swim Club, 1:21.99

Bolles’ 16-year-old twins Willie Davis and Isaac Davis bookended the Sharks’ 200 free relay to help the team to gold. Willie led off in 19.82, while Issac anchored in 19.47. There were 2 other sub-20 splits in the field, as Carmel Swim Club’s Drew Kibler (19.55) and Zionsville Swim Club’s Jack Franzman (19.97) were able to hit that mark on the 2nd leg.