ORLANDO — After a blistering start to this year’s NCSA Junior Nationals, the competition pool cooled in the subsequent days, with swimmers struggling with the transition from short-course yards preliminary heats to long-course meters finals. But Nation’s Capital’s boys, who took down four national age group relay records during Tuesday’s timed finals, lowered their own 15-18 mark in the 400-yard medley relay Saturday morning and added the record in the 17-18 category as well.
John Shebat, Carsten Vissering, Andrew Seliskar and James Jones combined for the new records in posting a time of 3 minutes 12.50 seconds, an eight-hundreds of a second improvement over last year’s record, also set at NCSAs with the same relay team. It’s the same foursome that broke the 15-18 and 17-18 age group marks in the 200 medley relay earlier in the week. Shebat, a Texas-bound senior, provided the necessary boost with a 48.24 in the backstroke leg, the only split faster than last year’s relay. Vissering, a Southern Cal recruit, was only 0.02 seconds shy of his previous year’s time, while Seliskar, a California recruit, added half a second and Jones gained 0.38 seconds.
| Shebat (backstroke) |
Vissering (breaststroke) |
Seliskar (butterfly) |
Jones (free) |
Time | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 49.22 | 52.87 | 46.38 | 44.11 | 3:12.58 |
| 2015 | 48.24 | 52.89 | 46.88 | 44.49 | 3:12.50 |
Of note, while Vissering and Seliskar’s workload this week in Florida remained roughly the same as last year’s meet, Shebat and Jones added events in which they finaled, making fatigue a factor in the fifth day of competition at Orlando’s YMCA Aquatic and Family Center.
In other results, Seliskar topped the qualifying heats in the 200 individual medley with a controlled 1:45.93, then blasted a lifetime best 19.89 in the 50 freestyle. Jones won the final qualifying heat in 20.35 and is tied for the second overall seed with Justin Ress of Marlins of Raleigh. Shebat, Tommy Hallock of Machine Aquatics, and Arlington Aquatics’ Ryan Baker and Chris Outlaw all reached the “C” final, while Carter Bennett and Rory Lew of Machine reached the “D” final.
Machine’s Morgan Hill was the only local qualifier for the girls’ championship final, which was topped by Stanzi Moseley of Roadrunner Aquatics in 22.35. Hill is seeded eighth for tonight with a 23.08. All Star Aquatics’ Caroline McTaggart is tied for first seed in the “B” final with a 23.11, while NCAP’s Hannah Baker will swim the “C” final along with Machine’s Suzanne Dolan. 13-year-0ld Katie Mack reached the “E” final with a 23.75.
Shebat earned first seed in the boys’ 50 backstroke final with a quick 22.55. Baker was eighth in 22.94. Aquajets Zoe Avestruz topped the girls’ heats with a 25.22, with NCAP’s Carrie Boone reaching the championship final with a 25.49.
Katherine Drabot, 17 of Ozaukee Aquatics finished first in the girls’ 200 IM as the only swimmer breaking the 2 minute-barrier (1:59.35). Reni Mosho and Cassidy Bayer of NCAP are seeded second and third, respectively with times of 2:00.12 and 2:0058.
Machine’s Casey Storch reached the “C” final of the boys’ 200 IM in 1:51.51.
Related links:
• Andrew Seliskar makes it nine golds entering final day of NCSAs
• 18 photos from NCSA Junior Nationals Day 4 prelims
• Andrew Seliskar doubles up in Orlando
• For NCAP’s senior duo, practice makes podium
• Matthew Hirschberger sets a second national age group record at juniors
• Nation’s Capital off to a record-breaking start at junior nationals