2024 Winter Junior Championships – West
U.S. Junior Nationwide Crew members Teagan O’Dell and Maximus Williamson got here away with the Excessive Level Awards for women and boys, respectively, on the 2024 Winter Junior Championships – West meet.
Excessive Level – Ladies, Teagan O’Dell, Mission Viejo Nadadores
O’Dell, a highschool senior dedicated to the highly effective class at Cal for subsequent fall, gained the 200 free, 100 again, 200 again, and 200 IM on the meet, swimming finest occasions in every of these races plus the 50 and 100 yard freestyles.
| Occasion | Place | Time | Earlier PB | Enchancment |
| 50 free | 2nd | 22.25 (22.14 relay leadoff) | 23.16 | -1.02 |
| 100 free | 2nd | 48.09 (47.74 relay leadoff) | 48.20 | -0.46 |
| 200 free | 1st | 1:42.46 (1:42.27 relay leadoff) | 1:44.58 | -2.31 |
| 100 again | 1st | 50.70 | 52.01 | -1.31 |
| 200 again | 1st | 1:49.16 | 1:51.28 | -2.12 |
| 200 IM | 1st | 1:52.61 | 1:54.51 | -1.90 |
She additionally confirmed off her versatility with a 26.83 breaststroke break up on a 200 medley relay and a 58.92 break up on a 400 medley relay for the Mission Viejo Nadadores. She was good on relays all through the weekend – her meet-best occasions within the 50, 100, and 200 free had been all on relay leadoffs.
That is O’Dell’s second-straight Excessive Level award at this meet: she scored 117 in 2023. She was third in 2022 with 97 factors.
Different multi-event winners from the meet embody Madi Mintenko, who had large battles with O’Dell all through the week and gained the 100 free (47.58 – 47.47 in prelims) and 500 free (4:36.66); Kayla Han, who gained the mile (15:56.07) and 400 IM (4:04.44).
Grace Rabb, who completed third in particular person Excessive Level scoring, didn’t decide up any wins, however did land on 4 podiums.
Ladies’ High 5:
- Teagan O’Dell, Mission Viejo Nadadores (California) – 114 factors
- Madi Mintenko, Pikes Peak Athletics (Colorado) – 101 factors
- Grace Rabb, Longhorn Aquatics (Texas) – 96 factors
- Kayla Han, La Mirada Armada (California) – 87 factors
- Jada Duncan, Sierra Marlins Swim Crew (California) – 63 factors
Excessive Level Boys, Maximus Williamson, Lakeside Aquatic Membership
After ending 2nd within the scoring final yr to then-teammate Cooper Lucas, who’s now a freshman at Texas, Maximus Williamson got here into his personal at this yr’s meet with a whopping 9 gold medals (together with relays, which don’t depend for this award).
Williamson’s outcomes:
| Occasion | Place | Time | Earlier PB | Enchancment |
| 50 free | 1st | 19.29 | 19.53 | -0.24 |
| 100 free | 1st | 41.96 | 41.92 | — |
| 200 free | 1st | 1:32.24 | 1:31.37 | — |
| 100 again | 1st | 46.7 | 46.29 | -0.41 |
| 200 fly | 1st | 1:42.17 | 1:46.97 | -4.8 |
| 200 IM | third | 1:44.22 | 1:40.81 | — |
Individually, he gained the 50 free, 100 free, 200 free, 100 again, and 200 fly. He had a mixed-bag of finest occasions, as he was actually good in some secondary occasions (together with an 18.84 rolling begin within the 50 free) however not so good as he has been within the IM races that was once his specialty (he scratched the 400 IM).
He additionally had massive relay splits, dropping an 18.84 on the 200 free relay and 40.96 on the 400 free relay as a part of a tantalizing dash efficiency all through the week for the Virginia-bound highschool senior.
Different massive particular person performers included Campbell McKean from the Bend Swim Membership who gained the 100 breast (51.72), 200 breast (1:53.54), and 200 IM (1:41.19), in all instances smashing his earlier private bests; and Gabriel Manteufel from the Sandpipers of Nevada, who solely swam two particular person finals, however gained them each: the five hundred free (4:13.55) and 1650 free (14:45.58). That 500 free was a 9 second time drop for him.
Boys’ High 5:
- Maximus Williamson, Lakeside Aquatic Membership (Texas) – 116
- Rowan Cox, Longhorn Aquatics (Texas) – 81
- Campbell McKean, Bend Swim Membership (Oregon) – 60
- Shareef Elaydi, Santa Clara Swim Membership (California) – 55
- Jack Armour, Texas Ford Aquatics (Texas) – 51
