USA Swimming News
Sunday, May 19, 2024
Murphy, Stadden Complete Backstroke Sweeps to Close 2024 Club Excellence Challenge Series
![RyanMurphyJanuaryTPSS885x544](https://websitedevsa.blob.core.windows.net/sitefinity/images/default-source/national-swimmers/ryanmurphyjanuarytpss885x544.jpg?sfvrsn=2b533d32_0&size=1220)
by USA Swimming
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The 2024 Club Excellence Challenge Series concluded Saturday evening, highlighted by first-place finishes from U.S. National Team members Ryan Murphy (Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla./ California Aquatics), Isabelle Stadden (Blaine, Minn./ California Aquatics), and Michael Andrew (Encinitas, Calif./MA Swim Academy). The four-day meet, featuring competition in three locations, was the final national racing opportunity for athletes before the U.S. Olympic Team Trials-Swimming June 15-23.
Women’s 800m Freestyle – FINAL
1 – Abigail McCulloh (Lilburn, Ga./Swim Atlanta), 8:36.94
2 – Kate McCarville (Springfield, Mo./ University of Tennessee), 8:45.15
3 – Ava Topolewski (Grand Prairie, Texas/George Washington Aquatics), 8:45.72
Race Notes:
• Each of the top-3 finishers competed in Austin.
• McCulloh’s performance is her second-fastest time of her career, just 0.88 seconds off her lifetime best.
Men’s 800m Freestyle – FINAL
1 – Alfonso Mestre (VEN), 7:52.15
2 – Gabriel Jett (Clovis, Calif./California Aquatics), 8:04.79
3 – Aryan Nehra (IND), 8:05.74
Race Notes:
• Mestre and Nehra competed in Atlanta, while Jett’s swim took place in Irvine.
• Jett’s time is a new lifetime best, shaving 5.06 seconds off his previous mark from the 2021 TYR Pro Swim Series Mission Viejo.
Women’s 100m Backstroke – FINAL
1 – Isabelle Stadden (Blaine, Minn./ California Aquatics), 59.22
2 – Phoebe Bacon (Chevy Chase, Md./ Wisconsin Aquatics), 59.72
3 – Josephine Fuller (Richmond, Va./Tennessee Aquatics), 1:00.33
Race Notes:
• Stadden competed in Irvine, while Bacon and Fuller competed in Atlanta.
• This marks the second victory in as many days for Stadden, after her 2:08.79 earned her a first-place finish in yesterday’s 200m backstroke.
Men’s 100m Backstroke – FINAL
1 – Ryan Murphy (Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla./ California Aquatics), 53.16
2 – Shaine Casas (McAllen, Texas/Longhorn Aquatics), 53.89
3 – Jack Aikins (Atlanta, Ga./Swim Atlanta), 54.40
Race Notes:
• Murphy’s swim took place in Irvine, Casas competed in Austin, and Aikins swam in Atlanta.
• Murphy’s victory completes his backstroke sweep for the meet. He won yesterday’s 200m backstroke in 1:56.64.
Women’s 200m Breaststroke – FINAL
1 – Mona McSharry (IRL), 2:27.70
2 – Kaitlyn Dobler (Portland, Ore./Trojan Swim Club), 2:28.64
3 – Alexis Yager (Batavia, IL/Tennesse Aquatics), 2:29.39
Race Notes:
• McSharry and Yager competed in Atlanta, while Dobler swam in Irvine.
• Dobler’s swim is a personal best for the 2023-2024 season and places her as the No. 5 American in the event’s rankings this year.
Men’s 200m Breaststroke – FINAL
1 – Daniel Roy (Spokane, Wash./The Dolphins Portland Swimming), 2:11.24
2 – Nic Fink (Morristown, N.J./Metro Atlantic Aquatic Club), 2:11.51
3 – Will Licon (El Paso, Texas/Longhorn Aquatics), 2:11.77
Race Notes:
• Roy competed in Irvine, while Fink and Licon were swimming in Atlanta.
• Roy’s time is the second-best swim he has posted in the event since the 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Swimming.
Women’s 200m Individual Medley – FINAL
1 – Kristen Romano (Lancaster, N.Y./Tennesse Aquatics), 2:13.09
2 – Lucy Bell (Fort Collins, Colo./Fort Collins Area Swim Team), 2:13.28
3 – Angie Coe (Charleston, Ill./Longhorn Aquatics), 2:14.64
Race Notes:
• Romano competed in Atlanta, Bell competed in Irvine, and Coe competed in Austin.
• Romano’s time is the second-best performance of her career and the fastest she has gone since June 2021.
Men’s 200m Individual Medley – FINAL
1 – Nate Germonprez (Omaha, Neb./Longhorn Aquatics), 2:00.16
2 – Rex Maurer (Pasadena, Calif./Rose Bowl Aquatics), 2:00.85
3 – Patrick Groters (ARU), 2:02.07
Race Notes:
• Germonprez and Maurer were competing in Austin while Groters swam in Atlanta.
• Germonprez’s swim is the fastest time he has posted this calendar year and was just 0.22 seconds off his personal best.
• Maurer’s performance is the third-fastest time of his career.
Women’s 50m Freestyle – FINAL
1 – Kasia Wasick (POL), 24.28
2 – Torri Huske (Arlington, Va./Arlington Aquatic Club), 24.41
3 – Abbey Weitzeil (Santa Clarita, Calif./California Aquatics), 24.50
Race Notes:
• Wasick swam in Austin, while Huske and Weitzeil swam in Irvine.
Men’s 50m Freestyle – FINAL
1 – Michael Andrew (Encinitas, Calif./MA Swim Academy), 22.09
2 – Santiago Grassi (ARG), 22.33
3 – Lamar Taylor (BAH), 22.25
Race Notes:
• Andrew was swimming in Irvine, while Grassi and Taylor were swimming in Atlanta.
• The win gives Andrew his third 50m freestyle title of the season following his first place finishes at the 2023 Toyota U.S. Open and 2024 TYR Pro Swim Series Knoxville.
The competition marked the final USA Swimming national meet until the U.S. Olympic Team Trials Swimming presented by Lilly, which takes place June 15-23 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. For information on Trials, visit www.usaswimming.org/Trials.
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