Day three of the World Aquatics Junior Swimming Championships continued in the Wingate Institute in Netanya, Israel, where thirty-eight of America’s top junior swimmers are competing from September 4-9. Through three finals sessions, the Americans have earned a total of 15 medals (eight gold, three silver, and four bronze).

Highlights of night three for the Americans include:

• Four medal performances (one gold, two silver, and one bronze)
• Eight personal best times
• 1-2 finish in the Women’s 200m Backstroke
• Five advancements to tomorrow’s finals

More than 600 athletes and 100 national federations are gathered to compete at this showcase of the best young swimming talent in the world.

Women’s 200m Backstroke – FINAL

1 – Teagan O’Dell (Chino Hills, Calif./Mission Viejo Nadadores), 2:08.09
2 – JoJo Ramey (Fishers, Ind./Fishers Area Swimming Tigers), 2:10.18

O’Dell on her win: “Last night, my nerves were at a peak in the 100 (backstroke), so coming into tonight I had to accept those nerves and face them. I had to do what I do best and just swim. My strategy was to go out in the first 100 to set up my race, get my heartrate going, and get myself up ahead of everyone. I feel like I executed it pretty well, and I’m just really happy to go a best time.” 

Ramey on her swim: “I was just trying to set it up with my tempo not too hot, then kind of build it throughout the race. It was one of the best experiences ever. And going with Teagan (O’Dell) was awesome too.”

Race Notes: 

• O’Dell dropped exactly one second for a new personal best. 

Mixed 4x100m Freestyle Relay – FINAL 

2 – United States, 3:25.59
   Maximus Williamson (Southlake, Texas/Lakeside Aquatic Club), 48.38
   Jason Zhao (Cincinnati, Ohio/Mason Manta Rays), 49.05
   Erika Pelaez (Hialeah, Fla./Eagle Aquatics), 53.76
   Anna Moesch (Green Brook, N.J./Greater Somerset County YMCA), 54.40

Williamson on his lead off swim: “I’m happy about it. We gave it all we had.

Zhao on the team performance: “I’m happy with how each of us did individually. We just weren’t the better team in the pool today.”

Pelaez on her swim: “I was just trying to hold on as much as I could. It felt good and I’m really happy with my time.”

Moesch on her swim: “It was really hard, and we all came there to fight. We all did our best, I’m just happy to be part of it.”

Race Notes: 

• Williamson’s lead off swim earned him a new personal best by almost half a second.
• Moesch had just 20 minutes between her bronze medal individual and silver medal team performances.

Women’s 100m Freestyle – FINAL

3 – Anna Moesch (Green Brook, N.J./Greater Somerset County YMCA), 54.69
4 – Erika Pelaez (Hialeah, Fla./Eagle Aquatics), 54.94

Moesch on her double: “(The 20-minute break) was rough. I came up panting, but I tried.”

Men’s 800m Freestyle – FINAL

5 – Luke Whitlock (Noblesville, Ind./Fishers Area Swimming Tigers), 7:55.00
6 – Luke Ellis (Las Vegas, Nev./Sandpipers of Nevada), 7:56.40

Race Notes:

• Both Whitlock and Ellis dropped almost six seconds each for new personal best times.
• The duo both broke the 8:00 barrier for the first time.

Women’s 50m Butterfly – Semifinal

2 – Leah Shackley (Bedford, Penn./Blair Regional YMCA), 26.43
8 – Bailey Hartman (Danville, Calif./Crow Canyon Sharks), 26.90

Race Notes:

• Leah dropped over six seconds for a new personal best.
• Hartman dropped almost four tenths of a second for a new personal best.
• Both athletes secured spots in tomorrow’s final.

Men’s 50m Freestyle – Semifinal

4 – Diggory Dillingham (Bend, Ore./Bend Swim Club), 22.53

Women’s 100m Breaststroke – Semifinal

4 – Piper Enge (Mercer Island, Wash./Bellevue Club Swim Team), 1:07.87
15 – Molly Sweeney (Carmel, Ind./Carmel Swim Club), 1:10.07

Race Notes: 

• Enge dropped one tenth of a second for a new personal best. 

Men’s 50m Backstroke – Semifinal

5 – Daniel Diehl (Cumberland, Md./YMCA of Cumberland), 25.22
15 – Caleb Maldari (Charlotte, N.C./SwimMAC Carolina), 26.21

Race Notes:

• Diehl swam a new personal best and earned a spot in tomorrow’s final heat. 

Men’s 50m Freestyle – Prelim

22 – Ethan Harrington (Palo Alto, Calif./Palo Alto Stanford Aquatics), 23.44

The competition continues through Saturday, September 9. A complete schedule of events can be found here. Prelims start each day at 2:30 a.m. ET (9:30 a.m. local) and finals start at 11 a.m. ET (6 p.m. local time).  

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