Katherine Bristow becomes the top point getter from the Merced meet as she wins all eight events entered. Her wins come with a large margin over the field in every event swam. Six year old Jazmine Niayesh becomes the only other undefeated TNT swimmer at the meet. Jazmine wins all five 6-under evnets that she enters. Other champions incude Wesley Coles (100 fly & 50 free), Alex Ellis (100 back & 200 back), Madison Gilbert (50 free & 50 back), Alex Hansen (100 fly & 100 back), Chris Hansen (200 free, 50 breast, 50 free, 100 breast & 800 free), Sam Hansen (200 free, 200 breast, 100 back, 1500 free, 100 breast, 200 back & 200 IM), Katelyn Herrera (800 free), JD Koster (50 breast & 50 free), Makenna Mason (50 fly), Khloe McCarthy (100 free), Madison McCarthy (200 free, 50 breast, 100 back, 100 breast & 50 back), Athena Niayesh (100 breast), Preston Niayesh (200 free, 100 back, 100 breast, 50 back & 200 IM), Kara Nino (50 fly & 50 back), Nathan Rhea (100 back, 50 free & 100 free), Allison Ross (50 free) and Breann Santos (100 back & 50 fly).
Three swimmers entered long course events for the first time while with TNT. These included Joshua Caminero, JD Koster and Makenna Mason. Wesley Coles and Jimmy Koster were the sole swimmers who improved every event entered. Other swimmers with 50% or more of events improved included: Chris Hansen (86%), Megan Nino (80%), Jake Caminero and Breann Santos (75%), Madison Gilbert (71%), Khloe McCarthy (70%), Madison McCarthy (60%), Alex Hansen (57%), Kara Nino (50%) and Savanah Nolan (50%).
Twenty five TNT swimmers competed at the Merced meet which is the second long course meet in Central California Swimming, and the last chance to qualify within CCS for the Speedo Grand Challenge which will be held in Irvine in three weeks. Our team got behind Sam Hansen as he swam to a first place finish and a new Speedo Grand Challenge cut. Sam improved over two seconds by swimming a 2:41.69 to make the cut in the 200 meter breaststroke event. He will join Katherine Bristow, Nathan Rhea and Joshua Tabers as a qualifier for the senior-level meet.
Alex Ellis also makes a new long course AA cut in the 200 meter backstroke with a 2:51.31 by improving over a second and a half in the 13-14 age group. Joining Alex in making a first Age Group Invitational cut is ten year old Makenna Mason qualifying in the 50 meter butterfly with a 41.90.