Monday, August 9, 2021
O’Dell, Elmbrook Swim Club Women Close Speedo Summer Championships with NAG Records
The final night of the 2021 Speedo Summer Championships took place this evening in Greensboro, N.C., and Irvine, Calif.
Thanks to a pair of incredible swims on the final day, the competition concludes with at least one National Age Group or Local Swimming Committee record set at each day of the meet.
More from the final night:
O’Dell Snaps Individual NAG Record, Elmbrook Captures Relay (Irvine)
Two National Age Group records fell at the Irvine pool today. The first went to Teagan O’Dell (West Covina, Calif./Irvine Novaquatics), who swum a 2:12.53 in the 200m I.M. to set a new 13-14 National Age Group (NAG) record, which was originally set by Missy Franklin with a 2:12.73 in 2009.
The second NAG record of the night went to Elmbrook Swim Club, who went 4:06.93 in the women’s 4x100m medley relay to break the 15-18 relay record, which was previously set by Fort Collins Area Swim Team with a 4:08.39.
“Maggie (Wanezek) had a great first leg and I just knew we had to do this for the team,” said Thomas, who swum the breaststroke leg for Elmbrook Swim Club. “We kind of huddled up before and were like, ‘we got this, we can do this,’ I almost wanted to cry. These girls, I’ve been racing with them for so long and they have all done so amazing this week and I really just wanted to end it off on a high note.”
16-Year-Olds Dominate the 1500 Freestyle (Greensboro)
The championship final of the east women’s 1500m freestyle was filled with young talent, as the eight lanes featured a 14-year-old, 15-year-old, two 16-year-olds, three 17-year-olds and a 19-year-old. In the end, the top-three finishers featured the pair of 16-year-old athletes, with Cavan Gormsen (Wantagh, N.Y./Long Island Aquatic Club) in first in 16:38.39 and Maddie Waggoner (Moorestown, N.J./Jersey Wahoos) in third in 16:50.10.
“I thought it (the meet) was a great way to end the season,” Gormsen said. “A lot of fast racing, a lot of fast competitors. It was a fun time and I’m pretty happy with my season.”
Gormsen leaves the meet with first place finishes in the 400- and 1500m freestyle events, as well as with her Long Island Aquatic Club team in the 4x100- and 4x200m freestyle relays.
Julian Becomes Fifth-Fastest American This Year (Irvine)
U.S. National Team Member, Trenton Julian (Glendale, Calif./Rose Bowl Aquatics), continues his stellar meet, this time by ripping a 1:57.86 in the 200m I.M., moving him from 13th to fifth on the list of fastest U.S. swimmers in the event this year.
“It was the last race of the week, so I kind of wanted to take it out without any regrets and see how it goes,” Julian said. “There wasn’t really a goal time-wise. I kind of just wanted to practice my race strategy and see where it goes and it kind of felt like I had more in the tank from Trials and how that race went, so I’m happy with how this race went.”
Stewart Breaks the 1:59 Mark (Greensboro)
Over in Greensboro, Julian’s U.S. National Team teammate Sam Stewart (Hattiesburg, Miss./YMCA Hub Fins), also had a strong showing in the event, going 1:58.60 in the 200m I.M.
“It wasn’t my best time; it was about a second off,” Stewart said. “I’m really really pleased that I’m able to come here after the end of a long meet and long season and go real close to my best time. I think it gives me a lot of confidence that I can do several meets in a row and perform pretty well, so I’m happy with that. I’m not sure what it means but I have a lot more confidence in myself.”
The swim was Stewart’s fourth fastest of his career.
Buckeyes, Bears Double Up in Women’s Relay Podium (Greensboro/Irvine)
In Greensboro, the Ohio State women’s A and B relay teams shared top-three spots on the podium of the Greensboro 4x100m medley relay. The school’s A group of Emily Crane, Josie Panitz, Kit Kat Zenick and Amy Fulmer touched in 4:07.41, while the B group of Kyra Sommerstad, Hannah Bach, Katie Trace and Catherine Russo touched third in 4:11.07.
“Before I got in, I looked at my coach and Bryon (Tansel) was pointing to the other (Ohio State) girls in the relay because we were pretty close,” Zenick said. “So I just dove in and thought I’d rip the first 50 as fast as I possibly could and then kind of died on the way home. It was really fun racing against my teammate Katie Trace because she’s also not a sprinter. It was super fun that both teams got top three.”
The same happened in Irvine in the men’s event, as both men’s teams from California Aquatics found themselves with top-three finishes. Cal’s A group of Destin Lasco, Forrest Frazier, Jarod Hatch and Dylan Hawk touched first with a 3:40.10, followed by a third-place finish by Cal’s B group with Michael Petrides, Jack Meehan, Dare Rose and Sean Grieshop in 3:46.30.
“That was just a really emotional swim,” Hawk said after the race. The relay was the last race of Hatch’s career.
“We all love Jarod, and he has been such a good role model, for me especially,” Hawk added. “It was just the light at the end of the tunnel, getting through Covid, and having that special moment. Was really happy to close it out for the Bears.”
Thanks to a pair of incredible swims on the final day, the competition concludes with at least one National Age Group or Local Swimming Committee record set at each day of the meet.
More from the final night:
O’Dell Snaps Individual NAG Record, Elmbrook Captures Relay (Irvine)
Two National Age Group records fell at the Irvine pool today. The first went to Teagan O’Dell (West Covina, Calif./Irvine Novaquatics), who swum a 2:12.53 in the 200m I.M. to set a new 13-14 National Age Group (NAG) record, which was originally set by Missy Franklin with a 2:12.73 in 2009.
The second NAG record of the night went to Elmbrook Swim Club, who went 4:06.93 in the women’s 4x100m medley relay to break the 15-18 relay record, which was previously set by Fort Collins Area Swim Team with a 4:08.39.
“Maggie (Wanezek) had a great first leg and I just knew we had to do this for the team,” said Thomas, who swum the breaststroke leg for Elmbrook Swim Club. “We kind of huddled up before and were like, ‘we got this, we can do this,’ I almost wanted to cry. These girls, I’ve been racing with them for so long and they have all done so amazing this week and I really just wanted to end it off on a high note.”
16-Year-Olds Dominate the 1500 Freestyle (Greensboro)
The championship final of the east women’s 1500m freestyle was filled with young talent, as the eight lanes featured a 14-year-old, 15-year-old, two 16-year-olds, three 17-year-olds and a 19-year-old. In the end, the top-three finishers featured the pair of 16-year-old athletes, with Cavan Gormsen (Wantagh, N.Y./Long Island Aquatic Club) in first in 16:38.39 and Maddie Waggoner (Moorestown, N.J./Jersey Wahoos) in third in 16:50.10.
“I thought it (the meet) was a great way to end the season,” Gormsen said. “A lot of fast racing, a lot of fast competitors. It was a fun time and I’m pretty happy with my season.”
Gormsen leaves the meet with first place finishes in the 400- and 1500m freestyle events, as well as with her Long Island Aquatic Club team in the 4x100- and 4x200m freestyle relays.
Julian Becomes Fifth-Fastest American This Year (Irvine)
U.S. National Team Member, Trenton Julian (Glendale, Calif./Rose Bowl Aquatics), continues his stellar meet, this time by ripping a 1:57.86 in the 200m I.M., moving him from 13th to fifth on the list of fastest U.S. swimmers in the event this year.
“It was the last race of the week, so I kind of wanted to take it out without any regrets and see how it goes,” Julian said. “There wasn’t really a goal time-wise. I kind of just wanted to practice my race strategy and see where it goes and it kind of felt like I had more in the tank from Trials and how that race went, so I’m happy with how this race went.”
Stewart Breaks the 1:59 Mark (Greensboro)
Over in Greensboro, Julian’s U.S. National Team teammate Sam Stewart (Hattiesburg, Miss./YMCA Hub Fins), also had a strong showing in the event, going 1:58.60 in the 200m I.M.
“It wasn’t my best time; it was about a second off,” Stewart said. “I’m really really pleased that I’m able to come here after the end of a long meet and long season and go real close to my best time. I think it gives me a lot of confidence that I can do several meets in a row and perform pretty well, so I’m happy with that. I’m not sure what it means but I have a lot more confidence in myself.”
The swim was Stewart’s fourth fastest of his career.
Buckeyes, Bears Double Up in Women’s Relay Podium (Greensboro/Irvine)
In Greensboro, the Ohio State women’s A and B relay teams shared top-three spots on the podium of the Greensboro 4x100m medley relay. The school’s A group of Emily Crane, Josie Panitz, Kit Kat Zenick and Amy Fulmer touched in 4:07.41, while the B group of Kyra Sommerstad, Hannah Bach, Katie Trace and Catherine Russo touched third in 4:11.07.
“Before I got in, I looked at my coach and Bryon (Tansel) was pointing to the other (Ohio State) girls in the relay because we were pretty close,” Zenick said. “So I just dove in and thought I’d rip the first 50 as fast as I possibly could and then kind of died on the way home. It was really fun racing against my teammate Katie Trace because she’s also not a sprinter. It was super fun that both teams got top three.”
The same happened in Irvine in the men’s event, as both men’s teams from California Aquatics found themselves with top-three finishes. Cal’s A group of Destin Lasco, Forrest Frazier, Jarod Hatch and Dylan Hawk touched first with a 3:40.10, followed by a third-place finish by Cal’s B group with Michael Petrides, Jack Meehan, Dare Rose and Sean Grieshop in 3:46.30.
“That was just a really emotional swim,” Hawk said after the race. The relay was the last race of Hatch’s career.
“We all love Jarod, and he has been such a good role model, for me especially,” Hawk added. “It was just the light at the end of the tunnel, getting through Covid, and having that special moment. Was really happy to close it out for the Bears.”