Day two of the Speedo Junior National Championships produced some powerful swims and close finishes from elite athletes at the Stanford Avery Aquatic Center in California.

Dynamo Swim Club’s Ian Grum conquered the pool this evening, claiming the top spot in both the 200 back and 400 IM. Grum set a championship record in the 200 back as he charged through the water, staying more than two body lengths ahead of the field, hitting the wall in 1:58.49. Grum shaved more than four seconds from his prelims time.

Coming in second was Nathan Hayes from Seattle Metropolitan Aquatic Club at 2:01.43, Colby Mefford from the Sierra Marlins, touched third in 2:02.01. The top four finishers all earned the Olympic Trials cut in this event.  

The women’s 200 back was a close battle between Swim United’s Felicia Pasadyn, Kennedy Noble from YMCA Westside Silver Fins, and 13-year old Maggie Wanezek from Elmbrook Swim Club. Pasadyn barely out-touched Noble and Wanezek, finishing first with a time of 2:12.90. Noble grabbed second at 2:13.06, and Wanezek touched third at 2:13.27. Wanazek’s placed her 19^th all-time in the 13-14 national age group rankings.   

Another tight swim was the women’s 100 free with Miranda Heckman from Pleasanton Seahawks capturing the title in 55.98. Lakeside Aquatic Club’s Riley Francis secured second in 56.09, and Tristen Ulett from Dynamo Swim Club came in third at 56.19. The event saw a tight finish with Heckman showing closing speed to beat out the competition.   

Only four tenths of a second separated the top three finishers in the men’s 100 free, showing nothing but arms and whitewater as they sprinted through the pool. At race’s end Canton City Schools Hunter Armstrong seized first in 49.80, NASA Wildcat Aquatics Luke Maurer finished second with a 49.90, and Dynamo Swim Club’s Brooks Curry was third in 50.08.

The women’s 400 IM championship final built tension as Felicia Pasadyn of SwimUnited led until the end of the breaststroke leg. At the turn, Samantha Tadder from TIDE Swimming surged ahead to take the lead until the final 50 of the freestyle leg when Pasadyn caught her. The two swimmers fought to get to the wall, with Tadder winning the event in 4:46.96. Pasadyn came in right behind her with a time of 4:47.20, followed by 757 Swim’s Colby Hurt in third at 4:48.66.

The men’s 400 IM championship final was even more nerve-racking, as Grum and Bolles School Sharks swimmer Jack Vandeusen were neck-and-neck during the last 50. Grum somehow finished strong to grab his second title of the night, with a time of 4:23.84. Vandeusen touched second in 4:24.02 and David Johnston from Rockwall Aquatic Center of Excellence was third in 4:24.83. The top 5 made the Olympic Trials cut.

Wednesday’s action wrapped with the 4x100 free relay. Brea Aquatics claimed the top spot on the women’s side on the strength of strong swims from Justina Kozan, Marly Lough, Zephy Koh, and Emily Trieu to finish in 3:46.95. SwimMac Carolina finished second in 3:48.59, with Long Island Aquatic Club coming in third at 3:49.11.

The men’s 4x100 free relay, saw SwimMac Carolina win the second heat with a time of 3:25.73 only to be overtaken by Dynamo Swim Club’s impressive heat five performance, from teammates Brooks Curry, Cam Auerbach, Nicholas Goudie, and Ian Grum in a time of 3:23.01

The Speedo Junior National Championships will continue thru Saturday. Visit usaswimming.org for continued live coverage of the event, results, and recaps.