Get ready for an exciting dive into the world of competitive swimming! The 2025 Speedo Winter Junior Championships are heating up, and we've got all the details from Day 4, the grand finale of this thrilling event.
The East vs. West Showdown
This year, as in previous years, we combined the results from the East and West meets to bring you the ultimate top 8 in every event. The final day featured the fastest 1650 freestyle races, followed by the A/B/C finals in the 200 back, 100 free, 200 breast, and 200 fly. We wrapped up with some intense 400 freestyle relay races.
Girls' 1650 Yard Freestyle - A Battle of Speed
In the girls' 1650 freestyle, the top 4 times came from the West, with Sydney Schoeck of CSP Tideriders taking the win over Kayla Han of La Mirada Armada by a significant margin of 7.7 seconds. Schoeck's time of 15:52.26 was the only one to break the 16-minute barrier. Paige Downey from Gold Medal Swim Club secured third place with a time of 16:06.14, just edging out Zayda Miehl of Corvallis Aquatic Team.
Boys' 1650 Yard Freestyle - A Mile of Excellence
Gabriel Manteufel from Sandpipers of Nevada dominated the boys' mile, crushing the field with a winning time of 14:20.21. Ellis Crisci and Whitaker Steward, both from The Swim Team, followed closely behind, finishing 2nd and 3rd with times of 14:53.10 and 14:54.46, respectively. The East produced only 2 of the top 8 times, including Colin Jacobs' impressive win in Indianapolis with a time of 14:47.47.
Backstroke Battles
In the girls' 200 yard backstroke, Charlotte Crush from Lakeside Swim Team took the East title with a time of 1:49.24, nearly 3 seconds faster than Reina Liu of TAC Titans. Hayden Gibson of Razorback Aquatic Club AquaHawgs won the West meet with a close finish of 1:53.70.
The boys' 200 yard backstroke saw Collin Holgerson of SwimAtlanta come incredibly close to breaking the meet record, winning the East with a time of 1:39.74. Baylor Stanton of Gwinnett and Davis Jackson of TAC Titans finished 2nd and 3rd in the East, while Joshua Smith of Arkansas Dolphins claimed the West title.
Freestyle Finals - Speedsters in Action
Rylee Erisman of Laker Swim just missed her own 15-16 NAG record, winning the girls' 100 yard freestyle in the East with a time of 46.85. Charlotte Crush of Lakeside Swim Team followed closely behind with a time of 47.72. In the West, Gabi Brito of Beach Cities Alphas took the win with a time of 47.77, with Adalynn Biegler of Edina Swim Club just behind.
The boys' 100 yard freestyle saw an impressive display of speed, with the top 3 swimmers in the West and the top 2 in the East all breaking the 43-second barrier. Jordan Ragland of Life Time Northern California was the overall champion, winning the West with a time of 42.24. Liam Carrington of Bolles School edged out Mike Rice of Mecklenburg with a time of 42.32 to 42.48 in the East.
Breaststroke Battles - A Close Competition
In the girls' 200 yard breaststroke, Molly Sweeney of Carmel Swim Club and Mikayla Tan of San Ramon Valley dominated their respective races, winning by at least 2 seconds. Sweeney took the East title with a time of 2:06.72, while Tan claimed victory in the West with a time of 2:06.74.
The boys' 200 yard breaststroke saw a tight competition, with Ian Heysen of Blue Dolfins giving the East a slight edge over the West with his winning time of 1:54.61. Andrew Eubanks of The Dolphins Portland Swimming won the West with a time of 1:54.77.
Butterfly Showdowns - A Battle of Wings
Audrey Derivaux dominated the girls' 200 yard butterfly, winning with a time of 1:52.70 in Indianapolis. Nikki Nixon of TAC Titans finished 2nd behind her with a time of 1:54.87. Lexi Byrn of Flatiron Athletic Club won the West with a time of 1:55.65.
The boys' 200 yard butterfly was led by the West, with Micah Davis of Aquajets and Charlie Cancelmo of Seattle Metro taking the top 2 spots. Hayden Vicknair of Baylor finished 3rd in the East.
Relay Races - Teamwork Makes the Dream Work
In the girls' 400 freestyle relay, Bellevue Club Swim Team 'A' narrowly won the West meet with a time of 3:19.30, just edging out Beach Cities Alpha 'A'. Both teams finished ahead of the East winner, Mecklenburg Swim Association.
The boys' 400 freestyle relay saw Bolles School Sharks 'A' take the East title with a time of 2:54.58, closely followed by Quicksilver Swimming 'A' from the West with a time of 2:54.77.
Stay tuned for more thrilling swimming action and don't forget to share your thoughts on these incredible performances! Who do you think will emerge as the overall champions? Let's discuss in the comments!
