While 35 TNT swimmers competed at the Junior Olympics, 22 swimmers traveled to Santa Clarita to compete at the Southern California Canyons Q meet. This meet fielded two heats of finals for the 10-under and 15-18 age divisions, and a top-8 final for individual ages of 11, 12, 13 and 14.
Points from individual events at Canyons were led by Khloe McCarthy with a total of 60.5 that resulted from two 3rd place finishes that included the 500 free (5:02.49), and 1000 free (10:31.21), both events and times of which fall under current team records. Khloe swam under the current team record twice in the 500 free, first during the preliminary swim where her time of 5:03.28 went under Jillian Hatch’s 5:03.66, and then at finals where she improved the preliminary time to a 5:02.49. Her time stands as the 131st fastest nationally among 18-year old female swimmers. Her time of 10:31.21 is also a new record for her, and it falls under Katelyn Herrera’s 10:41.57 that was set at the Terrapin meet in 2012, and now Khloe’s new record stands as the 59th fastest nationally to date. Our only other team record was from Peyton Costa who swam 2:24.72 in the 12-year old 200 backstroke event. He was an original record holder in the event, prior to Benjamin Wheeler setting a new standard as a 2:25.29 at the Age Group Championships in San Diego this past December. Peyton’s reclaimed record ranks 670th nationally for boys at age 12.
One of the most exciting finals resulted in a 1st and 2nd place finish in the 15-18 female championship final 100 fly event. Our Junior National senior swimmers, Mallory Korenwinder and Selma’s Sierra Jett, who will be attending the University of Arizona and Auburn University respectively, dominated the event with a 1-2 finish (56.59 and 56.74). Mallory Korenwinder went on to win the 100 breaststroke (1:03.71), while Sierra Jett became the event champion in the 50 free (23.80). Our only other event champion at the meet was Visalia’s Janessa Bringe who took home the gold in the 14-year old 1000 freestyle event with a time of 10:58.32. Other championship finalist included: Owen Ansel (200 breast, 100 breast), Morgan Coddington (400 IM), Peyton Costa (400 IM, 50 back), Alonso Escobedo (500 free, 400 IM), Aubrey Holbert (200 back), Jonas Huckabay (1650 free, 1000 free), Sierra Jett (50 free, 100 fly, 100 free), Mallory Korenwinder (100 breast, 100 fly, 200 breast), Khloe McCarthy (500 free, 200 free, 400 IM, 1000 free), Gage Price (500 free, 50 fly, 1000 free), Satoshi Shinkawa (100 back), Katherine Sullivan (500 free, 200 back, 400 IM, 100 back), Benjamin Wheeler (1000 free), and Bryan Wong (50 breast).
An additional highlight resulting from the meet is our 17-18 female relay teams setting Central California Swimming records in four distinct events. Our teams won three of the four relays, and placed second in the short medley while competing apart from the winning team. New CCS records are posted for:
- 15-18 women 400 free relay (3:34.85)
M. Korenwinder, M. Coddington, A. Holbert, S. Jett
- 15-18 women 400 medley relay (3:58.91)
A. Holbert, M. Korenwinder, L. Geiger, S. Jett
- 15-18 women 200 free relay (1:39.42)
M. Korenwinder, A. Olson, M. Coddington, S. Jett
- 15-18 women 200 medley relay (1:50.56)
A. Holbert, M. Korenwinder, L. Geiger, S. Jett
Two swimmers improved 100% of their times in Canyons, and they included Bryan Wong and Bryce Wong.