Saturday, September 9, 2023
USA Swimming Earns 33 Medals at World Aquatics Junior Swimming Championships
The World Aquatics Junior Swimming Championships at the Wingate Institute in Netanya, Israel concluded today with standout performances from the Americans.
Highlights of the meet for the Americans include:
1 – Maximus Williamson (Southlake, Texas/Lakeside Aquatic Club), 48.45
Williamson on his win: “It’s always fun to race and win obviously. I just love to race, so it’s been a lot of fun.”
Race Notes:
1– United States, 3:35.98
Daniel Diehl (Cumberland, Md./YMCA of Cumberland), 54.37
Joshua Chen (Ames, Iowa/Texas Ford Aquatics), 1:00.25
Jacob Wimberly (Prosper, Texas/Texas Ford Aquatics), 53.79
Maximus Williamson (Southlake, Texas/Lakeside Aquatic Club), 47.57
Diehl on the relay: “I gave it my all. Thankfully these three guys helped me out and we got the win.”
Wimberly on the team: “It was very amazing to (swim with these) three guys (on the relay). It’s nice to have guys who, no matter what, aren’t going to give up and do whatever it takes to win. I think that is what everyone did tonight.”
Race Notes:
1 – Addison Sauickie (Sarasota, Fla./Sarasota Sharks), 1:58.09
3 – Leah Hayes (Sugar Grove, Ill./Fox Valley Park District Riptides), 1:58.19
Sauickie on her swim: “I tried to do the same thing I did this morning but better. I knew I had to go out controlled in my first 100 (meters). I just had to push it in the end, it is something I’ve been working on in practice and racing – finishing off well. I’m proud of myself for doing that and getting my hand on the wall.”
Hayes on her performance: “The last 25 was so hard, I was just tightening up and throwing my arms over the water. I kept telling myself I needed to just get a medal for the U.S. and keep going forward.”
Race Notes:
2 – Daniel Diehl (Cumberland, Md./YMCA of Cumberland), 1:58.93
6 – Caleb Maldari (Charlotte, N.C./SwimMAC Carolina), 2:01.44
Women’s 100m Butterfly – FINAL
2 – Leah Shackley (Bedford, Penn./Blair Regional YMCA), 58.29
4 – Bailey Hartman (Danville, Calif./Crow Canyon Sharks), 58.44
Shackley on her performance: “The (race) plan I wanted (to execute) was spot on, but the last 15 (meters) I died. It was fun, racing against Lana (Pudar from Bosnia and Herzegovia) is always amazing, she is a great person. I’m really happy with the way it turned out.”
Shackley on competing at the meet: “Insane. This is my first meet for Team USA. I train alone so having a team here is amazing, it’s like a preview for college. I’m so excited for the future whenever I am part of a team. But yeah, competing for Team USA is amazing!”
Race Notes:
2 – Annam Olasewere (Greenwich, Conn./Chelsea Piers Aquatic Club), 24.95
5 – Caroline Larsen (Eden Prairie, Minn./Foxjets Swim Team), 25.26
Race Notes:
3 – Watson Nguyen (Plano, Texas/Metroplex Aquatics), 27.85
4 – Joshua Chen (Ames, Iowa/Texas Ford Aquatics), 28.15
Nguyen on his meet success: “I love this meet. I’ve never had this much fun before, and I’m just so excited to be here. I know Team USA has my back and when I get up (on the blocks) I just see them and I’m not just doing this for me I’m doing this for our country.”
Men’s 1500 Freestyle– FINAL
6 – Luke Ellis (Las Vegas, Nev./Sandpipers of Nevada), 15:18.94
10 – Nathan Szobota (Richmond, Va./Nova of Virginia), 15:30.97
Men’s 200 Butterfly– FINAL
6 – Drew Hitchcock (Hickory, N.C./Baylor Swim Club), 1:58.61
Race Notes:
9 – Molly Sweeney (Carmel, Ind./Carmel Swim Club), 2:31.19
12 – Piper Enge (Mercer Island, Wash./Bellevue Club Swim Team), 2:31.48
Men’s 200 Butterfly– Prelim
9 – Cooper Lucas (Keller, Texas/Lakeside Aquatic Club), 2:00.08
Highlights of the meet for the Americans include:
- 33 medal performances (15g, 11s, and 7b), the highest of any international federation\
- Four championship records
- One world junior record
- Over 45 new personal best times
- Two 1-2 finishes (Women’s 200m Backstroke and Women’s 200m Individual Medley)
- Eight medal performances (3g, 3s and 2b)
- Four personal best times
1 – Maximus Williamson (Southlake, Texas/Lakeside Aquatic Club), 48.45
Williamson on his win: “It’s always fun to race and win obviously. I just love to race, so it’s been a lot of fun.”
Race Notes:
- Williamson earned a new personal best by about four tenths of a second.
- Williamson is the first individual to win both the Men’s 100m Freestyle and 200m Individual Medley in the history of World Aquatics Junior Swimming Championships (formally known as FINA Junior Swimming Championships).
1– United States, 3:35.98
Daniel Diehl (Cumberland, Md./YMCA of Cumberland), 54.37
Joshua Chen (Ames, Iowa/Texas Ford Aquatics), 1:00.25
Jacob Wimberly (Prosper, Texas/Texas Ford Aquatics), 53.79
Maximus Williamson (Southlake, Texas/Lakeside Aquatic Club), 47.57
Diehl on the relay: “I gave it my all. Thankfully these three guys helped me out and we got the win.”
Wimberly on the team: “It was very amazing to (swim with these) three guys (on the relay). It’s nice to have guys who, no matter what, aren’t going to give up and do whatever it takes to win. I think that is what everyone did tonight.”
Race Notes:
- Three of the four relay swimmers swam twice during the session. In addition to the relay winning performance, Williamson won the Men’s 100m Freestyle, Diehl placed second in the Men’s 200m Backstroke and Chen finished fourth in the Men’s 50m Breaststroke.
1 – Addison Sauickie (Sarasota, Fla./Sarasota Sharks), 1:58.09
3 – Leah Hayes (Sugar Grove, Ill./Fox Valley Park District Riptides), 1:58.19
Sauickie on her swim: “I tried to do the same thing I did this morning but better. I knew I had to go out controlled in my first 100 (meters). I just had to push it in the end, it is something I’ve been working on in practice and racing – finishing off well. I’m proud of myself for doing that and getting my hand on the wall.”
Hayes on her performance: “The last 25 was so hard, I was just tightening up and throwing my arms over the water. I kept telling myself I needed to just get a medal for the U.S. and keep going forward.”
Race Notes:
- Hayes dropped almost a tenth of a second for a new personal best.
2 – Daniel Diehl (Cumberland, Md./YMCA of Cumberland), 1:58.93
6 – Caleb Maldari (Charlotte, N.C./SwimMAC Carolina), 2:01.44
Women’s 100m Butterfly – FINAL
2 – Leah Shackley (Bedford, Penn./Blair Regional YMCA), 58.29
4 – Bailey Hartman (Danville, Calif./Crow Canyon Sharks), 58.44
Shackley on her performance: “The (race) plan I wanted (to execute) was spot on, but the last 15 (meters) I died. It was fun, racing against Lana (Pudar from Bosnia and Herzegovia) is always amazing, she is a great person. I’m really happy with the way it turned out.”
Shackley on competing at the meet: “Insane. This is my first meet for Team USA. I train alone so having a team here is amazing, it’s like a preview for college. I’m so excited for the future whenever I am part of a team. But yeah, competing for Team USA is amazing!”
Race Notes:
- Hartman dropped over two tenths of a second for a new personal best.
2 – Annam Olasewere (Greenwich, Conn./Chelsea Piers Aquatic Club), 24.95
5 – Caroline Larsen (Eden Prairie, Minn./Foxjets Swim Team), 25.26
Race Notes:
- Olasewere matched her personal best time, established during the semifinals.
3 – Watson Nguyen (Plano, Texas/Metroplex Aquatics), 27.85
4 – Joshua Chen (Ames, Iowa/Texas Ford Aquatics), 28.15
Nguyen on his meet success: “I love this meet. I’ve never had this much fun before, and I’m just so excited to be here. I know Team USA has my back and when I get up (on the blocks) I just see them and I’m not just doing this for me I’m doing this for our country.”
Men’s 1500 Freestyle– FINAL
6 – Luke Ellis (Las Vegas, Nev./Sandpipers of Nevada), 15:18.94
10 – Nathan Szobota (Richmond, Va./Nova of Virginia), 15:30.97
Men’s 200 Butterfly– FINAL
6 – Drew Hitchcock (Hickory, N.C./Baylor Swim Club), 1:58.61
Race Notes:
- Hitchcock dropped over two tenths for a new personal best.
9 – Molly Sweeney (Carmel, Ind./Carmel Swim Club), 2:31.19
12 – Piper Enge (Mercer Island, Wash./Bellevue Club Swim Team), 2:31.48
Men’s 200 Butterfly– Prelim
9 – Cooper Lucas (Keller, Texas/Lakeside Aquatic Club), 2:00.08
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