Speedo Winter Juniors East: Rylee Erisman Lowers 100 Free NAG Record, Charlotte Crush Shines Again
Earlier this week at the eastern version of U.S. Junior Nationals in Greensboro, N.C., Rylee Erisman of Laker Swim became the second-fastest 15-16 girl ever in the 50-yard freestyle. Now, Erisman has become the first swimmer in the age group to ever swim under 47 seconds in the 100 free as she won the event in 46.69.
Erisman took almost a half-second off her own previous record of 47.14, which she set at last month’s Florida 4A state meet to break Claire Curzan’s previous record of 47.23. Erisman’s time would have placed fourth in the event at last year’s NCAA Championships, trailing only Gretchen Walsh and graduated swimmers Katharine Berkoff and Isabel Ivey.
Erisman won winner of four individual gold medals at the Junior Pan Pacific Championships, including in the 100-meter free, and she was a U.S. Olympic Trials finalist in the 50-meter free. The high school sophomore continues to build toward an attempt at qualifying for a senior-level national team as soon as next year.
In the 100 free final, Lakeside Swim Team’s Charlotte Crush took second in 47.85, three tenths ahead of Upper Dublin’s Annie Jia (48.07). Crush was swimming the second half of a quick double after winning the 200 backstroke in 1:48.69. Jersey Wahoos’ Audrey Derivaux took second in 1:50.91, while Jersey Aquatic Club’s Sarah Rodrigues was third (1:51.14).
After lowering her own 15-16 NAG record in the 100 back to 49.46 in a relay leadoff Thursday evening and then doubling up with 100 fly and 100 back wins Friday, Crush finished just four tenths off the NAG mark in this event held by Regan Smith (1:48.30). Entering the day, her best time was 1:50.55 before going 1:48.93 in prelims prior to a further drop at night. As with Erisman in the 100 free, this performance would have placed Crush fourth at last year’s NCAA Championships, and she ranks 16th in history in the event.
The first-place finishers in the other women’s events contested Saturday posted times that would have scored at the 2024 NCAA meet. Scarlet Aquatics’ Chloe Kim, already the winner of the 500 freestyle, claimed first in the 1650 free in 16:00.21, beating out Sarasota Sharks’ Abby Dunford (16:07.04) and North Carolina Aquatic Club’s Daisy Collins (16:14.52).
In the 200 breaststroke, Mason Manta Rays’ Addie Robillard overtook SwimMAC Carolina’s Elle Scott on the final 50 yards and pulled away to win in 2:07.75. Scott was second in 2:08.62, and Greensboro Swim Association’s Kaidy Stout took third (2:10.50).
In the men’s competition, Gwinnett Aquatic Club’s Baylor Stanton completed his backstroke sweep with a time of 1:40.89 in the 200, putting him ahead of Area Tallahassee’s Ethan Ekk (1:42.41) and Sarasota Sharks’ David Melnychuk (1:42.50). The 1650 free went to Shawmut’s Will Mulgrew in 14:50.97, ahead of Laker Swim’s Ryan Erisman (14:57.76) and Colin Jacobs (15:01.34), while Huntsville’s Luke Bedsole held off Central Ohio’s Austin Carpente in the 100 free, 42.91 to 42.99, with Bolles’ Andy Kravchenko third (43.06).
