ORLANDO — As Nation’s Capital’s Matthew Hirschberger flipped at the halfway point during a preliminary heat of the boys’ 500-yard freestyle Wednesday morning, he trailed the national age group record pace by more than two seconds. Two seconds, even for a swimmer who slashed a 33-year-old record in the 1,000 freestyle by four seconds less than 14 hours prior, should have been insurmountable. But then Hirschberger went faster.
The 16-year-old burgeoning distance star came home in the second half more than two seconds faster than he opened the qualifying heat at NCSA Junior Nationals. He touched in a new 15-16 national age group record time of 4 minutes 16.43 seconds, breaking the mark set in December at U.S. winter nationals by Sean Grieshop of Nitro Swimming (Cedar Park, Tex.) by 0.16 seconds.
Machine Aquatics’ James Murphy, 17, and NCAP’s Gavin Springer, a Harvard-bound senior, qualified for Wednesday night’s 400-meter freestyle final in second and third, respectively. Murphy clocked a 4:22.30, a slight 0.03-second improvement, while Springer dropped more than a second to touch in 4:22.61. It will be a distinctly Potomac Valley final, with NCAP’s Adrian Lin qualifying fifth (4:23.74) and Brennan Novak coming in sixth (4:24.21). Brandon Fabian reached the “B” final in sixth position with a 4:26.36.
Hirschberger’s record, which ranks as the 12th fastest split by an 18-and-under in U.S. history, was Nation’s Capital’s sixth national record in two sessions at the YMCA Aquatic and Family Center in Orlando.
Andrew Seliskar nearly made it seven for NCAP, qualifying first in the 100 breaststroke with a lightning 51.78. The time missed American record holder Kevin Cordes’s age group record of 51.76, which was performed at the 2012 NCAA men’s national championships. Seliskar’s time ties the California recruit as the 14th fastest performer in history and the 10th fastest U.S. performer. Teammate Carsten Vissering, a Southern Cal recruit, qualified second in 52.44, a new personal best by four-tenths of a second. Arlington Aquatic’s Ben Gorski, a Notre Dame-bound senior, reached the “A” final as well with a 54.69.
Seliskar also topped the morning heats in the 200 butterfly with a 1:42.00, just under seven-tenths off his own national age group record in the event. Machine Aquatics’ Rory Lewis, a Penn State recruit, qualified ninth overall and will take center lane in the “B” final.
Cassidy Bayer, 15, of Nation’s Capital cleared the preliminary heats in the girls’ butterfly with a 1:55.20, a new lifetime best. Chattahoochee Gold’s Lauren Case was second in 1:57.46. Kylie Jordan joins Bayer representing NCAP in the “A” final with a 1:59.33. All Star Aquatic’s Caroline McTaggart and NCAP’s Laura Branton and Leah Rogers all reached the “B” final.
NCAP’s John Shebat qualified first in the 200 backstroke with a huge morning swim, blasting a lifetime best time of 1:42.27. It was a nearly three-second drop for the Texas recruit. Arlington Aquatic’s Ryan Baker, a junior, qualified fifth in 1:44.88. The Woodland’s Lucie Nordmann, 14, finished first in the girls’ backstroke with a 1:55.59, followed by NCAP’s Carrie Boone, 17, in 1:56.31. Teammates Emily Meilus, 15, and Reni Moshos, 16, also qualified for the “A” final.
Roadrunner Aquatics’ Stanzi Moseley, 16, topped the morning heats in the girls’ 100 freestyle with a 48.14, followed by Ozaukee Aquatics’ Katherine Drabot, 17, in 48.96 and McTaggart in 49.27. Machine Aquatics’ Morgan Hill, 16, and Bayer also reached the “A” final.
The lone event without local representation Wednesday night will be the girls’ 100 breaststroke, with York’s Jacquee Clabeaux, 15, the highest qualifier in 13th overall.