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USA Swimming Starts Strong with 10 Medals and Four Records on Night One of 2024 Junior Pan Pacific Championships
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USA Swimming made a statement on night one of the 2024 Junior Pan Pacific Championships, claiming 10 medals and breaking four Junior Pan Pacific Championship records.
In the women’s 100-meter backstroke, Leah Shackley (Bedford, Penn./Blair Regional YMCA) and Charlotte Crush (Louisville, Ky./Lakeside Swim Team) earned gold-silver, respectively, to highlight the opening night inside the Canberra Australian Institute of Sport Aquatic Centre. The 4x100m mixed medley relay closed out the evening, where Shackley swam the opening leg, breaking her Junior Pan Pacific Championships record from earlier in the evening. Teammates Campbell McKean (Bend. Ore./Bend Swim Club), Rowan Cox (Austin, Texas/Longhorn Aquatics), and Rylee Erisman (Windermere, Fla./Laker Swim) helped the Americans claim gold and break the Junior Pan Pacific Championships record in the event.
Earlier in the evening, team captain Luke Ellis (Las Vegas, Nev./Sandpipers of Nevada) dominated the men’s 800m freestyle, setting a Junior Pan Pacific Championship record by almost three seconds. Immediately following, Paige Downey (Gilbert, Ariz./Gold Medal Swim Club) claimed gold in the women’s 1500m freestyle in a new personal best time. Also earning a new personal best time and gold was Luka Mijatovic (Pleasanton, Calif./Pleasanton Seahawks), who went 1:48.05 in the men’s 200m freestyle. Adding to the gold medals were Audrey Derivaux (Haddonfield, N.J./Jersey Wahoos) and Logan Robinson (Pensacola, Fla./Greater Pensacola Aquatic Club), who each topped the podium in the women’s and men’s 200m butterfly.
Additional medal winners include Madi Mintenko (Colorado Springs, Colo./Pikes Peak Athletics), who won silver in the women’s 200m freestyle, and Blake Amlicke (Clarksville, Tenn./Nashville Aquatic Club), who secured a silver medal in the men’s 100m backstroke.
Women’s 200m Freestyle – FINAL
Silver – Madi Mintenko (Colorado Springs, Colo./Pikes Peak Athletics), 1:58.02
4 – Kennedi Dobson (Levittown, Pa./Eastern Express Swim Team), 1:58.29
10 – Kayla Han (La Mirada, Calif./Carmel Swim Club), 2:00.35
16 – Lily King (Latrobe, Pa./Mount Pleasant Aqua Club), 2:03.77
Mintenko on her swim: “I felt pretty good, better than I did this morning. The result wasn’t exactly what I wanted, but I think it was a better race than this morning, so I’m happy with that.”
Men’s 200m Freestyle – FINAL
Gold – Luka Mijatovic (Pleasanton, Calif./Pleasanton Seahawks), 1:48.05
4 – Gregg Enoch (Carmel, Ind./Carmel Swim Club), 1:49.31
9 – Jason Zhao (Cincinnati, Ohio/Mason Manta Rays), 1:49.12
10 – Norvin Clontz (Charlotte, N.C./Mecklenburg Swim Association), 1:49.87
Mijatovic on his gold: “I’m feeling great. I’m super happy to be a part of this team and do my best to win a gold medal for us.”
Mijatovic on his approach to the swim: “I was just trying to get out from the beginning. I wanted them to chase me, not me chase them, so I’m just super happy to take the win for Team USA.”
Women’s 100m Backstroke – FINAL
Gold – Leah Shackley (Bedford, Penn./Blair Regional YMCA), 59.46*
Silver – Charlotte Crush (Louisville, Ky./Lakeside Swim Team), 1:00.19
9 – Erika Pelaez (Hialeah, Fla./Eagle Aquatics), 59.97
10 – Rylee Erisman (Windermere, Fla./Laker Swim), 1:00.18
*Junior Pan Pacific Championship record
Shackley on her swim: “I went out really fast and came back as best as I could. I died a little, but it was super fun having Charlotte (Crush) right there next to me. This is her first final, so I was really proud just to have her there. I gave it all I had – we both did, I know we did.”
Crush on her swim: “I’m so thankful to be a part of this team and to represent the United States. I want to thank my coach, Mike (DeBoor), for helping me get here and coaching me along the way; my family, of course, has always been there for me and keeps me on my toes, especially with all three siblings. I can’t wait for the rest of the week.”
Men’s 100m Backstroke – FINAL
Silver – Blake Amlicke (Clarksville, Tenn./Nashville Aquatic Club), 55:16
4 – Sam Lorenz (Thiensville, Wisc./Schroeder YMCA Swim Team), 55:79
9 – Gavin Keogh (Erie, Colo./Flatiron Athletic Club), 54.92
Amlicke on medaling: “It’s great. I’m excited that I got my hand on the wall in second, and I can medal for Team USA and contribute towards our medal count.”
Women’s 200m Butterfly – FINAL
Gold – Audrey Derivaux (Haddonfield, N.J./Jersey Wahoos), 2:09.14
5 – Kelsey Zhang (Saratoga, Calif./Palo Alto Stanford Aquatics), 2:11.80
Derivaux on her swim: “I am feeling so excited. All the adrenaline is here. I didn’t really have any expectations for that, I just went into it thinking that I needed to do it for Team USA and for my country. I really didn’t have any personal expectations, but I really wanted to win gold.”
Men’s 200m Butterfly – FINAL
Gold – Logan Robinson (Pensacola, Fla./Greater Pensacola Aquatic Club), 1:57.27
4 – Gregg Enoch (Carmel, Ind./Carmel Swim Club), 1:59.85
Robinson on his swim: “I was just thinking that I had to represent the USA well. I told all my teammates that I was going to get a gold, and I told all my family that I was going to get a gold, so I wanted to honor my word.”
Men’s 800m Freestyle – FINAL
Gold – Luke Ellis (Las Vegas, Nev./Sandpipers of Nevada), 7:52.40*
4 – Luka Mijatovic (Pleasanton, Calif./Pleasanton Seahawks), 7:56.91
5 – William Mulgrew (Walpole, Mass./Shawmut Aquatic Club), 8:01.63
7 – Aiden Hammer (Fox Island, Wash./King Aquatic Club), 8:05.22
*Junior Pan Pacific Championship record
Ellis on his win: “I’m feeling great. That is probably the coolest thing I’ve ever done, holding that flag up while the national anthem was going. I can’t wait for more to come.”
Ellis on leading by example: “It means everything and is not something I took lightly. It’s definitely something I want to represent well, especially being the USA captain. I didn’t want to let anyone down; I wanted to show everyone that Team USA is the country. We are the people to beat.”
Women’s 1500m Freestyle – FINAL
Gold – Paige Downey (Gilbert, Ariz./Gold Medal Swim Club), 16:24.58
Downey on her win: “Definitely tired, but I’m super happy to win a gold medal for Team USA. It’s been so much fun, and I can’t wait to win more.”
Mixed 4x100m Medley Relay – FINAL
Gold – Team USA-A, 3:45.21*
Leah Shackley (Bedford, Penn./Blair Regional YMCA)**
Campbell McKean (Bend. Ore./Bend Swim Club)
Rowan Cox (Austin, Texas/Longhorn Aquatics)
Rylee Erisman (Windermere, Fla./Laker Swim)
*Junior Pan Pacific Championship record
**Shackley broke her own Junior Pan Pacific Championship record from earlier in the evening with her 100m backstroke split of the relay.
Shackley on being a part of the relay: “Relays are the best. The energy is just amazing. It isn’t just you out there. You have three other people there supporting you, plus everyone on Team USA. Let’s be honest: Team USA, there is no better team to be a part of. We are the best. It was a great first night, and we’re not done yet.”
Cox on being part of the relay: “When I got up on the blocks, that was the single most hype I’ve ever seen in an arena.”
Erisman on anchoring: “It was amazing. It was my first ever Team USA relay, and I feel honored to anchor it and bring home gold for the team.”
9 – USA Swimming-B, 3:50.54
Blake Amlicke (Clarksville, Tenn./Nashville Aquatic Club)
Jordan Willis (Waxhaw, N.C./SwimMAC Carolina)
Charlotte Crush (Louisville, Ky./Lakeside Swim Team)
Erika Pelaez (Hialeah, Fla./Eagle Aquatics)
Women’s 200m Freestyle – Prelims
23 – Annam Olasewere (Greenwich, Conn./Chelsea Piers Aquatic Club), 2:06.58
24 – Raya Mellott (Danville, Calif./Crow Canyon Country Club Sharks), 2:06.95
25 – Addie Robillard (Mason, Ohio/Mason Manta Rays), 2:07.55
Men’s 200m Freestyle – Prelims
21 – Aiden Hammer (Fox Island, Wash./King Aquatic Club), 1:50.60
22 – Quin Seider (Oak View, Calif./Ojai Heat Waves), 1:51.73
23 – Andrew Shackell (Carmel, Ind./Carmel Swim Club), 1:53.57
24 – Campbell McKean (Bend. Ore./Bend Swim Club), 1:53.94
Women’s 100m Backstroke – Prelims
21 – Teagan O’Dell (Chino Hills, Calif./Mission Viejo Nadadores), 1:01.08
Men’s 800m Freestyle – Prelims
9 – Luka Mijatovic (Pleasanton, Calif./Pleasanton Seahawks), 7:56.91
10 – Aiden Hammer (Fox Island, Wash./King Aquatic Club), 8:05.22
The competition continues through Saturday, August 24, at the Canberra Australian Institute of Sport Aquatic Centre. Tomorrow’s finals feature the women’s and men’s 100m freestyle, 100m breaststroke, 400m individual medley, and 4x200m freestyle relay. Prelims begin at 9 a.m. AET/7 p.m. ET, while finals start at 5 p.m. AET/3 a.m. ET. Click here for information on the meet and the complete competition schedule.
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