13-Year-Old Weinstein Drops 1:47.6 200 FR On Her Third Event of Session in NY | SwimSwam

By Karl Ortegon on SwimSwam

2020 U.S. WINTER CHAMPIONSHIPS – BGNW SITE

• December 11-13, 2020
• Mount Kisco, NY
• Results on Meet Mobile: ‘2020 MR BGNW 18-Under Winter Championship’

Another day, another set of lifetime bests for 13-year-old Claire Weinstein of Westchester Aquatic Club.

Her big swim came in the 200 free, which was done after she raced the 50 free and 100 back (with only the men’s 50 free and 100 back between the three swims). Weinstein popped a 1:47.66 in the 200 free, winning by over two seconds over Badger 16-year-old Kristin Cornish (1:49.84). That’s a 1.5-second drop for Weinstein, while Cornish dropped .5 and broke 1:50 for the first time ever.

Weinstein was very steady on her splits, going out in 26.10 then holding 27.0/27.4/27.1 over the rest of the race. She was 53.1/54.5 on the 100s, quite even overall. She breaks into the 13-14 historical top 40, now the #39 performer all-time, even at the early end of the age group.

Weinstein might’ve gone even faster if she swam the race fresh. She first won the 50 free, clocking a 23.53 for her first time under 24 seconds; her old best was a 24.00. After that, she was runner-up to BGNW’s Sabrina Johnston in the 100 back, 54.59 to 56.34. Both of them went bests, and Weinstein dropped over a full second.

It’s been an incredible weekend for the middle-schooler. Here’s a look at her swims (all lifetime bests) this weekend, in order of when she swam them.

CLAIRE WEINSTEIN‘S WEEKEND

• 1000 free – 9:43.75
• 500 free – 4:44.10
• 200 back – 1:59.85
• 100 free – 50.66
• 50 free – 23.53
• 100 back – 56.34
• 200 free – 1:47.66

Badger’s Matthew Fenlon earned two more wins this evening, first posting a 48.71 to take the 100 fly. His teammate Vanessa Chong was just off of her best to win the 100 fly on the women’s side (53.59). Fenlon came back to take the 200 free, the only finisher under 1:40 with a 1:38.70.

16-year-old Hana Shimizu-Bowers, swimming unattached, took the 400 IM with ease. She finished under 4:20, slicing two-tenths off of her old best with a 4:19.69.

Badger’s Max Hardart, who had been on a best times spree this weekend, added another in the 400 IM. He was 3:58.61, edging out teammate Jason Amato (3:59.40) and crushing his old best by four seconds. Amato, meanwhile, smashed his old best by almost six seconds.

OTHER NOTABLE SWIMS

• 15-year-old Mary-Grace Guzzino of BGNW cranked out a huge lifetime best to win the 200 breast, going 2:18.61 and taking over five seconds off of her PR.
• Justin DiSanto of Badger sliced three-tenths off of his old best to win the 50 free in 21.25.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: 13-Year-Old Weinstein Drops 1:47.6 200 FR On Her Third Event of Session in NY