Articles

WRITTEN BY SHARON ROBB

August 13, 2012

Brandon Goldman of the Coral Springs Swim Club will begin competing Tuesday at the USA Swimming Speedo Junior National Championships at the IU Natatorium in Indianapolis.

Goldman, 17, opens with two events. He will first compete in the 400-meter individual medley and three events later swim the 200-meter backstroke.

Goldman, a senior team captain at St. Thomas Aquinas, is the only swimmer from the Coral Springs Swim Club competing in the national-caliber meet along with more than a dozen other swimmers from the Florida Gold Coast.

On opening night of the five-day meet Monday, three meet records were broken.

In the championship finals, Olympic Trials sweetheart Allie Szekely, 14, of Central Bucks Swim Team broke the meet record in the 200-meter breaststroke in 2:26.35. The old mark was 2:27.99 set by Emma Schoettmer of Center Grove in 2011. She also came close to breaking Amanda Beard’s 13-14 national age group record of 2:25.75, which she swam at the 1996 Olympics.

Szekely was the top seed after morning prelims in a best time 2:28.30. At the Trials she also swam a best time in the event for 17^th and forced a swim-off which she also won, again in a best time.

Gillian Ryan, 16, of North Baltimore, last summer’s national champion, won the 800-meter freestyle in a meet record 8:30.84, off her best time of 8:27.64. The previous meet record was set by Swim Fort Lauderdale’s Lauren Driscoll in 8:35.43 in 2010. The girls’ field featured two 13-year-olds who finished in the Top 12.

Jordan Wilimovsky, 18, of Team Santa Monica broke the meet record in the 1500-meter freestyle in 15:23.01. The old record was 15:25.44 set by William Freeman of SwimAtlanta in 2009.

Mission Viejo leads the combined team standings with 79 points. Sarasota YMCA Sharks is second with 66 points.

Live webcasts and live results of prelims at 9 a.m. and finals at 6 p.m. are being shown daily at usaswimming.org.

Monday Finals Results:

Women’s 200-meter butterfly: 1. Michelle Cefal, Tualatin, Hills 2:10.35.

Men’s 200-meter butterfly: 1. Clark Smith, Denver Swim Academy 1:58.64.

Women’s 200-meter breaststroke: 1. Allie Szekely, Central Bucks 2:26.35, meet record.

Men’s 200-meter breaststroke: 1. Steven Stumph, Orinda Aquatics 2:15.24.

Women’s 800-meter freestyle: 1. Gillian Ryan, North Baltimore 8:30.84, meet record.

Men’s 1500-meter freestyle: 1. Jordan Wilimovsky, Team Santa Monica 15:23.01, meet record.

Day One Florida Gold Coast Results:

Women’s 200-meter butterfly: 18. Casey Francis, Pine Crest Swimming 2:18.22, best time, in prelims, 24. 2:19.39 in bonus final.

Men’s 200-meter butterfly: 70. Yousef Alaskari, Davie Nadadores 2:10.96.

Men’s 200-meter breaststroke: 38. Jordy Groters, Davie Nadadores 2:25.12, 65. Marc Rojas, South Florida Aquatic Club 2:28.86. 

Women’s 800-meter freestyle: 41. Casey Francis, Pine Crest Swimming 9:05.52, 57. Olivia Katcher, Swim Fort Lauderdale 9:10.71, 58. Melissa Marinheiro, South Florida Aquatic Club 9:11.54.

Men’s 1500-meter freestyle: 13. Lance Rutkin, Swim Fort Lauderdale 15:53.83, best time, 27. Marc Rojas, South Florida Aquatic Club 16:06.49, best time, 35. Miguel Davila, Davie Nadadores 16:10.52, best time.

Sharon Robb can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.