USA Swimming athletes made another statement on night three of the 2024 Junior Pan Pacific Championships. The American women finished first and second in every final, breaking three Junior Pan Pacific Championship records, while Luka Mijatovic (Pleasanton, Calif./Pleasanton Seahawks) broke a 22-year-old National Age Group record.

In the first heat of the evening, Kennedi Dobson (Levittown, Pa./Eastern Express Swim Team) and Madi Mintenko (Colorado Springs, Colo./Pikes Peak Athletics) claimed gold-silver in the women’s 400-meter freestyle, respectively. Immediately following in the men’s 400m freestyle, 15-year-old Mijatovic won gold, and Aiden Hammer (Fox Island, Wash./King Aquatic Club) grabbed the bronze. 

Audrey Derivaux (Haddonfield, N.J./Jersey Wahoos) went 57.99 in the women's 100m butterfly to claim another gold and a new Junior Pan Pacific Championships record, followed closely by teammate Charlotte Crush (Louisville, Ky./Lakeside Swim Team) taking the silver. Leah Shackley (Bedford, Penn./Blair Regional YMCA) and Teagan O'Dell (Chino Hills, Calif./Mission Viejo Nadadores) added another gold-silver finish with their dominant swims in the women's 200m backstroke. Shackley's 2:08.19 was good for her fourth Junior Pan Pacific Championships record of the meet. Wrapping up the women's dominant evening, teammates Rylee Erisman (Wwomen'sre, Fla./Laker Swim), Erika Pelaez (Hialeah, Fla./Eagle Aquatics), O'Dell, and Mintenko earned gold and set another Junior Pan Pacific Championship record in the women's 4x100m freestyle relay. Their time of 3:36.49 marks the third American relay to break a Junior Pan Pacific Championships record at this meet.   

Silver medalists on the night include Rowan Cox (Austin, Texas/Longhorn Aquatics) in the men’s 100m butterfly, Gavin Keogh (Erie, Colo./Flatiron Athletic Club) in the men’s 200m backstroke, and teammates Quin Seider (Oak View, Calif./Ojai Heat Waves), August Vetsch (Queen Creek, Ariz./Swim Neptune), Jason Zhao (Cincinnati, Ohio/Mason Manta Rays), and Campbell McKean (Bend. Ore./Bend Swim Club) in the men’s 4x100m freestyle relay.

Women’s 400m Freestyle – FINAL

Gold – Kennedi Dobson (Levittown, Pa./Eastern Express Swim Team), 4:09.46

Silver – Madi Mintenko (Colorado Springs, Colo./Pikes Peak Athletics), 4:10.98

Dobson on her swim: “During that race, I was just thinking about the team and knowing that all my teammates would be cheering on deck for me. I wanted to get things started for the team and get everyone excited to race.”

Mintenko on finishing 1-2 with Dobson: “It was a great race; I don’t get to race Kennedi (Dobson) very often. I’m glad I can do it here because she is a great swimmer, and I love racing her. Going 1-2 with her was a great start to the night and got the team ready to go 1-2 in those next few events.”

Men’s 400m Freestyle – FINAL

Gold – Luka Mijatovic (Pleasanton, Calif./Pleasanton Seahawks), 3:49.24*

Bronze – Aiden Hammer (Fox Island, Wash./King Aquatic Club), 3:52.06

*National Age Group record

Mijatovic on his swim: “It feels amazing just to be able to get on the podium once more for Team USA. Especially to do it with Aiden (Hammer).”

Women’s 100m Butterfly – FINAL

Gold – Audrey Derivaux (Haddonfield, N.J./Jersey Wahoos), 57.99*

Silver – Charlotte Crush (Louisville, Ky./Lakeside Swim Team), 58.19

T-9 – Erika Pelaez (Hialeah, Fla./Eagle Aquatics), 1:00.05

T-9 – Elle Scott (Charlotte, N.C./SwimMAC Carolina), 1:00.05

*Junior Pan Pacific Championships record

Derivaux on 1-2 finishes by U.S. women this session: “We’ve all been training together – we're practically family now. We all love each other. It means so much that we can all go 1-2 and do it all for Team USA.”

Crush on her approach: “Honestly, I was just excited to be in the A (final), I think that is always a fun opportunity. I felt a little pressure going into it, but I knew that no matter what happened, you have your team behind you.”

Men’s 100m Butterfly – FINAL

Silver – Rowan Cox (Austin, Texas/Longhorn Aquatics), 52.59

4 – August Vetsch (Queen Creek, Ariz./Swim Neptune), 53.23

9 – Logan Robinson (Pensacola, Fla./Greater Pensacola Aquatic Club), 53.68

10 – Campbell McKean (Bend. Ore./Bend Swim Club), 53.72

Cox on his swim: “I’m feeling pretty good. The work is not done yet – we still have another day of the meet. I have to refocus and get ready for the 50 free tomorrow.”

Women’s 200m Backstroke – FINAL

Gold – Leah Shackley (Bedford, Penn./Blair Regional YMCA), 2:08.19*

Silver – Teagan O’Dell (Chino Hills, Calif./Mission Viejo Nadadores), 2:08.31

9 – Audrey Derivaux (Haddonfield, N.J./Jersey Wahoos), 2:10.68

10 – Lilla Bognar (Travelers Rest, S.C./Team Greenville), 2:13.40

*Junior Pan Pacific Championships record

Shackley on her gold: “That race took so much energy from me. I’m very pleased with it because that is a best time for me and I haven’t gone a best time in that race in a year-and-a-half. I’m very proud of myself. I went out fast and then died hard, but it’s okay. I still got my hand on the wall, and we got a gold for Team USA.”

O’Dell on the U.S. women’s performance on the night: “It was a dream come true. I think it just shows how strong and how connected our team is this year. I think going 1-2 in all three individual events just shows how incredible we are.”

Men’s 200m Backstroke – FINAL

Silver – Gavin Keogh (Erie, Colo./Flatiron Athletic Club), 1:58.19

Keogh on representing the U.S.: “Being the only American (in the heat), it was like being the lone survivor. I knew that I had the whole team on my back, which is what gave me such a great feeling and helped push me in the race.”

Women’s 4x100m Freestyle Relay – FINAL

Gold – Team USA-A, 3:36.49*

Rylee Erisman (Windermere, Fla./Laker Swim)
Erika Pelaez (Hialeah, Fla./Eagle Aquatics)
Teagan O’Dell (Chino Hills, Calif./Mission Viejo Nadadores),
Madi Mintenko (Colorado Springs, Colo./Pikes Peak Athletics)

*Junior Pan Pacific Championship record

Erisman on leading off: “It was so much fun. The finals atmosphere is just amazing. It meant a lot to do it with that group of girls.”

Pelaez on her swim: “I love being a part of USA relays. Being able to hop in there and get them a lead was awesome; especially considering that it extended our streak of getting gold medals on all our relays.”

O’Dell on the relay team: “I’m so honored to be picked for the free relay team again. After the 800 free (relay), I left hungry for more.”

Mintenko on the gold: “Once I saw Rylee (Erisman) hit the water, I knew that it was going to be something special. It’s always great getting in the water with my team, especially to do that with most of the same people I was in the relay with last night.”

10 – Team USA-B, 3:43.67

Lily King (Latrobe, Pa./Mount Pleasant Aqua Club)
                Elle Scott (Charlotte, N.C./SwimMAC Carolina)
                Annam Olasewere (Greenwich, Conn./Chelsea Piers Aquatic Club)
                Kennedi Dobson (Levittown, Pa./Eastern Express Swim Team)

Men’s 4x100m Freestyle Relay – FINAL

Silver – Team USA-A, 3:18.97

Quin Seider (Oak View, Calif./Ojai Heat Waves)
August Vetsch (Queen Creek, Ariz./Swim Neptune)
Jason Zhao (Cincinnati, Ohio/Mason Manta Rays)
Campbell McKean (Bend. Ore./Bend Swim Club)

Seider on being a part of the relay: “Being on a relay for USA at an international meet has been my goal over the past few years, and I did it. It didn’t really matter to me if I led off, was in the middle, or was anchoring; I was just happy to be put on the relay wherever they wanted me and wherever I could do my job best.”

Vetsch on his swim: “The plan was to go fast and to come home strong. I thought I executed that well. That was the main goal: do it for the rest of the guys on the team.”

McKean on anchoring: “It’s fun to be on a relay - especially anchoring. Obviously, it’s a little scary, but I just wanted to bring it home for the team. You always have the whole team behind your back. Even if you don’t have the best swim of your season or career, you always have the team supporting you.”

9 – Team USA-B, 3:22.21

Logan Robinson (Pensacola, Fla./Greater Pensacola Aquatic Club)
                Luka Mijatovic (Pleasanton, Calif./Pleasanton Seahawks)
                Rowan Cox (Austin, Texas/Longhorn Aquatics)
                Josh Howat (Springfield, Va./Nations Capital Swim Club)

Women’s 400m Freestyle – Prelims

11 – Kayla Han (La Mirada, Calif./Carmel Swim Club), 4:12.64

12 – Paige Downey (Gilbert, Ariz./Gold Medal Swim Club), 4:18.77

Men’s 400m Freestyle – Prelims

10 – Norvin Clontz (Charlotte, N.C./Mecklenburg Swim Association), 3:53.05

11 – Luke Ellis (Las Vegas, Nev./Sandpipers of Nevada), 3:53.48

12 – Gregg Enoch (Carmel, Ind./Carmel Swim Club), 3:54.90

13 – William Mulgrew (Walpole, Mass./Shawmut Aquatic Club), 3:56.50

25 – Andrew Shackell (Carmel, Ind./Carmel Swim Club), 4:10.89

Women’s 100m Butterfly – Prelims

17 – Leah Shackley (Bedford, Penn./Blair Regional YMCA), 59.09

23 – Addie Robillard (Mason, Ohio/Mason Manta Rays), 1:03.87

18 – Annam Olasewere (Greenwich, Conn./Chelsea Piers Aquatic Club), 1:03.99

Men’s 100m Butterfly – Prelims

17 – Jason Zhao (Cincinnati, Ohio/Mason Manta Rays), 55.52

Women’s 200m Backstroke – Prelims

17 – Kennedi Dobson (Levittown, Pa./Eastern Express Swim Team), 2:15.05

DQ – Charlotte Crush (Louisville, Ky./Lakeside Swim Team), 55.92

The competition concludes tomorrow Saturday, August 24, at the Canberra Australian Institute of Sport Aquatic Centre. Tomorrow’s finals feature the women’s and men’s 200m individual medley, 50m freestyle, 200m breaststroke, men’s 1500m freestyle, women’s 800m freestyle, and women’s and men’s 4x100m medley 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.

Live results will be posted to @USASwimmingNews on X.