Day four of the World Aquatics Junior Swimming Championships continued at the Wingate Institute in Netanya, Israel, where thirty-eight of America’s top junior swimmers are competing from September 4-9. Through four finals sessions, the Americans have earned a total of 22 medals (11 g, 6s, and 5b). 

Highlights of night four for the Americans include:

• Leah Hayes’ second championship record of the meet
• Seven medal performances (3g, 3s, and 1b)
• 1-2 finish in the Women’s 200m Individual Medley
• Eleven personal best times

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 Individual Medley – FINAL  
1 – Leah Hayes (Sugar Grove, Ill./Fox Valley Park District Riptides), 2:10.24*
2 – Haley McDonald (Louisville, Ky./Lakeside Swim Team), 2:13.18 
*championship record

Hayes on her second championship record: “I just got in there with no expectations, I just wanted to win for my country. I would have liked to have gone a little bit faster of a time, but I’m just happy to get on the podium for the U.S.”

Hayes on competing at the World Aquatics Junior Swimming Championships: “It feels wonderful. Israel is a beautiful country, and I couldn’t be happier to compete here. Everyone has been so wonderful to us. Being here, and representing the United States, is such a blessing. To be able to race again has just been so awesome.” 

McDonald on her performance: “It was super fun, I was trying to go out and have a strong fly and back. I’m just really happy with it, super cool doing it with Leah (Hayes) and going 1-2.”
 
Race Notes:

• This is Hayes’ second championship record of the meet. She set the 400m Individual Medley championship record on night one. 
• McDonald dropped almost half a second for a new personal best. 

Men’s 4x200m Freestyle Relay – FINAL 
1 – United States, 7:09.03
   Maximus Williamson (Southlake, Texas/Lakeside Aquatic Club), 1:47.11
   Cooper Lucas (Keller, Texas/Lakeside Aquatic Club), 1:47.75
   Jason Zhao (Cincinnati, Ohio/Mason Manta Rays), 1:47.56
   Daniel Diehl (Cumberland, Md./YMCA of Cumberland), 1:46.61

Zhao on the team performance: “I feel like it’s always so much easier to go faster in relays because you have three other guys up there with you who are super fast. Team USA always gets up, not just the individuals, but the relays especially.” 

Diehl on being the final leg: “My legs hurt, but I’m really happy with my time. It was really fun to race. (My relay) got me a four second lead so I had an easy job.”

Race Notes: 

• Williamson’s lead off swim earned him a new personal best by almost two tenths of a second. 

Women’s 50m Butterfly – FINAL
1 – Leah Shackley (Bedford, Penn./Blair Regional YMCA), 26.20
8 – Bailey Hartman (Danville, Calif./Crow Canyon Sharks), 26.90

Shackley on her strategy: “(My coaches and I) decided to put my head down for the last three strokes and just have a great tempo. It turned out really well.”

Race Notes:

• Shackley dropped another two tenths of a second from her previous best time set during semifinals.
• Hartman matched her personal best, set in the semifinals. 

Women’s 400m Freestyle – FINAL  
2 – Madison Mintenko (Colorado Springs, Colo./Pikes Peak Aquatics), 4:08.06
3 – Addison Sauickie (Sarasota, Fla./Sarasota Sharks), 4:08.94 

Mintenko on earning a podium with teammate Sauickie: “That was super fun. Swimming with Adi (Sauickie), I’ve been doing it for a while, and I know she wants it. I think swimming with her really makes me a better swimmer as well. I’m so happy to be able to share the podium together.”

Sauickie on her performance: “That hurt really bad, but it was fun. I loved being beside Madi (Mintenko) the entire time, I felt we were fighting everyone together. I’m really happy with the race, it was a good time, and I’m happy to be on the podium with Madi.”

Race Notes:

• Minkento dropped over two seconds for a new personal best. 
• Sauickie dropped almost three seconds for a new personal best. 

Men’s 200m Breaststroke – FINAL
2 – Jordan Willis (Waxhaw, N.C./SwimMAC Carolina), 2:12.07
6 – Josh Bey (Hinsdale, Ill./Highland Hurricanes Swim Club), 2:14.56

Willis on his race: “I knew (Sai Ting Adam Mak from Japan) had a faster seated time than me, so I just wanted to be out and have a great race with him. I knew he was going to be fast in that race, so getting second to him for the United States is the most amazing thing ever.”

Race Notes:

• Willis shaved over a second and a half to earn a new personal best. 

Women’s 100m Breaststroke – FINAL
4 – Piper Enge (Mercer Island, Wash./Bellevue Club Swim Team), 1:07.29

Race Notes:

• Enge dropped over half a second from her previous best time set during semifinals. 

Men’s 50m Backstroke – FINAL
6 – Daniel Diehl (Cumberland, Md./YMCA of Cumberland), 25.33

Men’s 50m Freestyle – FINAL
7 – Diggory Dillingham (Bend, Ore./Bend Swim Club), 22.75

Women’s 50m Backstroke – Semifinal
1 – Erika Pelaez (Hialeah, Fla./Eagle Aquatics), 28.24
T5 – Teagan O’Dell (Chino Hills, Calif./Mission Viejo Nadadores), 28.52

Race Notes:

• Pelaez and O’Dell both dropped almost a tenth of a second each for new personal bests. 

Men’s 50m Butterfly – Semifinal
16 – Jacob Wimberly (Prosper, Texas/Texas Ford Aquatics), 24.61

Race Notes:

• Wimberly dropped two one hundredths of a second for a new personal best. 

Men’s 50m Butterfly – Prelim
19 – Ethan Harrington (Palo Alto, Calif./Palo Alto Stanford Aquatics), 24.72