Get ready for an exhilarating journey as we dive into the thrilling world of swimming! The 2025 Speedo Winter Junior Championships, held across the East and West regions, have been a spectacle of record-breaking performances and intense competition.
The Battle of the Meets
On Day 3, the East and West meets delivered some truly remarkable swims, leaving meet records and National Age Group records in their wake. As we've done annually, we're combining the results from these two epic battles to showcase the top 8 finishers in each event.
Day 3: A Medley of Excitement
The day featured A/B/C finals in the 400 IM, 100 fly, 200 free, 100 breast, and 100 back, along with the timed finals of the 200 freestyle relays. Let's dive into the highlights!
Girls' 400 Yard Individual Medley
Jersey Wahoos' Audrey Derivaux dominated the East meet with a personal best of 4:01.83, a time that ranks as the third-fastest in history for a 15-16 girl. Derivaux's performance was a half-pool-length ahead of the West's winner, Kayla Han of La Mirada Armada, who finished in 4:03.28.
Combined Top 8:
1. Audrey Derivaux (JW) - 4:01.83 (East)
2. Kayla Han (RMDA) - 4:03.28 (West)
3. Sydney Schoeck (CSP) - 4:05.96 (West)
4. Emerson Callis (QSTS) - 4:10.35 (East)
5. Vivian Moulson (CRIM) - 4:11.99 (East)
6. Adalyn Lee (BREA) - 4:12.56 (West)
7. Ellie Clarke (CSC) - 4:13.53 (East)
8. Sydney Hardy (SYS) - 4:13.85 (East)
Boys' 400 Yard Individual Medley
Gwinnett Aquatics' Baylor Stanton took the East meet by storm, winning by a body length with a time of 3:40.48. Yi Zheng of Carmel Swim Club and Ian Heysen of Blue Dolfins, both from the East, finished ahead of the West's champion, Syunta Lee of West Coast Aquatics.
Combined Top 8:
1. Baylor Stanton (GA) - 3:40.48 (East)
2. Yi Zheng (CSC) - 3:41.90 (East)
3. Ian Heysen (BD) - 3:43.23 (East)
4. Syunta Lee (WEST) - 3:44.40 (West)
5. Anthony Dornoff (RMDA) - 3:47.39 (West)
6. (Tie) Owen Ekk (ATAC) - 3:47.52 (East)
7. (Tie) Wilson York (LAK) - 3:47.52 (East)
8. Brayden Capen (ACAD) - 3:49.09 (West)
Girls' 100 Yard Butterfly
Lakeside Swim Team's Charlotte Crush was a force to be reckoned with, winning the East meet in 50.00, a time that was 1.55 seconds faster than any other swimmer across both meets. Gabi Brito of Beach Cities Alpha took the West crown with a time of 51.55, a solid 0.7 seconds ahead of the field.
Combined Top 8:
1. Charlotte Crush (LAK) - 50.00 (East)
2. Gabi Brito (BCA) - 51.55 (West)
3. Jianna Amores (SFLS) - 51.78 (East)
4. Emma Grace Richardson (MAC) - 52.16 (East)
5. Abby Chan (HSA) - 52.20 (East)
6. Clare Watson (BC) - 52.25 (West)
7. Kelsey Zhang (PASA) - 52.31 (West)
8. Lucy Velte (EKC) - 52.38 (West)
Boys' 100 Yard Butterfly
Mecklenburg Swim Association's Mike Rice was the only swimmer to break 46 seconds on the night, winning the East meet in 45.89, nearly a full second ahead of second-place George Dovellos of Bolles School. Micah Davis of Aquajets led a tight finish in the West, clocking in at 46.17, just ahead of Brandon Ha of DART Swimming and Charlie Cancelmo of Seattle Metro.
Combined Top 8:
1. Mike Rice (MSA) - 45.89 (East)
2. Micah Davis (AQJT) - 46.17 (West)
3. Brandon Ha (DART) - 46.38 (West)
4. Charlie Cancelmo (SMAC) - 46.65 (West)
5. George Dovellos (BSS) - 46.87 (East)
6. Ty Thomas (RCA) - 46.88 (West)
7. Alex Goodman (JW) - 46.96 (East)
8. Shareef Elaydi (SCSC) - 47.11 (West)
Girls' 200 Yard Freestyle
Laker Swim's Rylee Erisman was on fire, swimming even faster from a flat start than she did anchoring the LAKR 800 free relay on Wednesday night. Erisman dropped a whopping 1.6 seconds between prelims and finals, establishing a new NAG record for 15-16 girls with a time of 1:40.93. She finished a comfortable 4.3 seconds ahead of the West's Alyssa Ton of Irvine Novaquatics.
Combined Top 8:
1. Rylee Erisman (LAKR) - 1:40.93 (East) NEW 15-16 NAG RECORD
2. Alyssa Ton (NOVA) - 1:45.22 (West)
3. Elizabeth Eichbrecht (NOVA) - 1:45.52 (East)
4. Brynn Lavigueur (LAKR) - 1:46.03 (East)
5. Anna Shnowski (QSTS) - 1:46.12 (East)
6. Charlotte Milkie (CCAQ) - 1:46.48 (West)
7. Faith Gorey (NAC) - 1:46.80 (East)
8. Maddie Thornton (BEND) - 1:46.96 (West)
Boys' 200 Yard Freestyle
Bolles School's Liam Carrington dominated the East meet, winning by a comfortable 2.1 seconds. Grant Kellis of Gold Medal Swim took the West meet with a time of 1:34.44, edging out Lakeside Aquatics' Maxwell Stanislaus by 0.13 seconds.
Combined Top 8:
1. Liam Carrington (BSS) - 1:32.88 (East)
2. Grant Kellis (GM) - 1:34.44 (West)
3. Maxwell Stanislaus (LAC) - 1:34.57 (West)
4. Connor Christopherson (SA) - 1:34.95 (East)
5. Mike Rice (MSA) - 1:34.96 (East)
6. Nathan Foucu (QSS) - 1:35.51 (West)
7. Michael Geh (BAD) - 1:35.62 (East)
8. Alex Pletcher (SDSA) - 1:35.73 (West)
Girls' 100 Yard Breaststroke
The West girls took control of the breaststroke event, with Mikayla Tan of San Ramon Valley and Bianca Nwaizu of Irvine both coming within 0.06 seconds of breaking the 59-second barrier. Nwaizu's teammate, Sofia Szymanowski, was just 0.02 seconds slower than the East winner, Molly Sweeney of Carmel. The West produced an impressive 6 of the top 8 swims.
Combined Top 8:
1. Mikayla Tan (SRVA) - 59.04 (West)
2. Bianca Nwaizu (NOVA) - 59.05 (West)
3. Molly Sweeney (CSC) - 59.95 (East)
4. Sofia Szymanowski (NOVA) - 59.97 (West)
5. Eliza Wallace (MSA) - 59.99 (East)
6. Kate Canales (AAAA) - 1:00.06 (West)
7. Mia Su (SCSC) - 1:00.64 (West)
8. Ella McWhorter (LAC) - 1:00.72 (West)
Boys' 100 Yard Breaststroke
It was a tightly contested combined field in the boys' race. SwimAtlanta's Collin Holgerson put up the fastest overall time, winning the East contest with a time of 52.21. Lubbock Swim Club's Gunnar Hansen claimed victory in the West meet with a time of 52.46.
Combined Top 8:
1. Collin Holgerson (SA) - 52.21 (East)
2. Gunnar Hansen (LSC) - 52.46 (West)
3. Ian Heysen (BD) - 52.88 (East)
4. Andrew Eubanks (TDPS) - 52.93 (West)
5. (Tie) Jake Lloyd (COA) - 53.13 (East)
6. (Tie) Shareef Elaydi (SCSC) - 53.13 (West)
7. Sam Wolf (MAC) - 53.22 (West)
8. Matthew Wolfle (NOVA) - 53.32 (East)
Girls' 100 Yard Backstroke
Lakeside Swim Team's Charlotte Crush, despite being 0.7 seconds off her 2024 meet record, still dominated the East meet with a time of 50.17, a full 1.6 seconds faster than the West winner, Gabi Brito of Beach Cities Alpha. Crush was almost 2 seconds faster than her runner-up, Reina Liu of TAC Titans.
Combined Top 8:
1. Charlotte Crush (LAK) - 50.17 (East)
2. Gabi Brito (CITI) - 51.78 (West)
3. Reina Liu (TAC) - 52.08 (East)
4. Maya Schweikert (RAYS) - 52.31 (East)
5. Brynn Lavigueur (LAKR) - 52.48 (East)
6. Zoe Smith (LRAD) - 52.55 (West)
7. Maggie Dickinson (SSTY) - 52.56 (West)
8. Abby Chan (HSA) - 52.76 (East)
Boys' 100 Yard Backstroke
SwimAtlanta's Collin Holgerson, fresh off his 100 breast win, continued his dominance by winning the 100 back final as well. Holgerson lowered his lifetime best by swimming a 44.94, not only taking the fastest time of the combined meet by a full body length but also erasing Will Modglin's 2022 meet record. Waterloo Swimming's Benjamin Jaggers took second overall, edging out Longhorn Aquatics' Rowan Cox.
Combined Top 8:
1. Collin Holgerson (SA) - 44.94 (East) New SC Juniors Record
2. Benjamin Jaggers (WLOO) - 46.18 (West)
3. Rowan Cox (TXLA) - 46.31 (West)
4. Davis Jackson (TAC) - 46.39 (East)
5. Baylor Stanton (GA) - 46.65 (East)
6. Miles Blackson-Dunbar (CITI) - 46.78 (West)
7. Elliot Rijnovean (BBA) - 46.83 (East)
8. Krish Jain (BSS) - 47.07 (East)
Girls' 200 Yard Freestyle Relay
Beach Cities Alpha took the West meet with the overall fastest time, thanks to impressive splits from Gabi Brito, Andi Taylor, Sora Koike, and Eryn Arnold. Laker Swim's 6th-place finish in the East meet featured a blazing 21.84 anchor from Rylee Erisman.
Combined Top 8:
1. Beach Cities Alpha 'A' - 1:30.61 (West)
2. Lakeside Aquatic Club 'A' - 1:30.73 (West)
3. TAC Titans 'A' - 1:31.03 (East)
4. Michigan Lakeshore Aquatics 'A' - 1:31.23 (East)
5. SwimMAC Carolina 'A' - 1:31.27 (East)
6. Mecklenburg Swim Association 'A' - 1:31.37 (East)
7. Bolles School Sharks 'A' - 1:31.46 (East)
8. Bellevue Club Swim Team 'A' - 1:31.65 (West)
Boys' 200 Yard Freestyle Relay
The Central Ohio Aquatics quartet of Caden Mahl, Jake Lloyd, Alex Wu, and Austin Carpenter blasted a new Short Course Junior Nationals meet record of 1:18.96 in the East meet. But they were quickly eclipsed by Quicksilver Swimming, who erased that mark with a time of 1:18.67, undercutting a pair of NAG records.
Combined Top 8:
1. Quicksilver Swimming 'A' - 1:18.67 (West) New SC Juniors Record
2. Central Ohio Aquatics 'A' - 1:18.96 (East)
3. Bolles School Sharks 'A' - 1:20.02 (East)
4. Waterloo Swimming 'A' - 1:20.42 (West)
5. Baylor Swim Club 'A' - 1:20.56 (East)
6. Mason Manta Rays 'A' - 1:20.59 (East)
7. Texas Ford Aquatics 'A' - 1:20.70 (West)
8. SwimAtlanta 'A' - 1:20.79 (East)
Stay tuned for more thrilling action from the 2025 Speedo Winter Junior Championships! And don't forget to share your thoughts and predictions in the comments below! Who do you think will emerge as the overall champions?
