IRVINE If Sunday’s closing session of the Speedo Junior National Championships provided a preview of American sprinting, the future in the splash and dash looks bright.
Caeleb Dressel, a 17-year-old from Florida, and 16-year-old Indiana swimmer Amy Bilquist each blazed to victories in the 50-meter freestyles at the William Woollett Jr. Aquatics Center.
Townley Haas from Nova of Virginia and Sierra Schmidt of North Baltimore again took care of the distance events as the 18-and-under meet set the stage for this week’s Phillips 66 National Championships.
Michael Phelps, Ryan Lochte and Missy Franklin take over starting Wednesday.
In the team competition Sunday, Irvine-based Aquazot placed third in the combined team points and sixth in the men’s race but it was hard to miss the potential of Dressel.
Racing with eye black and his favorite bible verse on his cheeks, he provided a senior meet-esque buzz with his first 30 meters of the one-lap race. The University of Florida-bound sprinter fired off his starting block and quickly bolted into the lead, building the anticipation of what time might flash on the timing board.
After a long stretch for the wall, he stopped the clock in 22.36 seconds, just off his personal-best 22.22, which stands as the second-fastest time in the boys 17-18 division.
“It was OK. I was expecting to be a little faster,” said Dressel, who raced for the first time this week.
“This isn’t my real meet. I’m not shaved. I still have some taper left in me (for next week).”
The Bolles club swimmer will have one number in mind for the 50 free on Aug. 10, the final day of nationals. “Twenty-one (seconds). Twenty-one will be good,” he said of a time that would be in the same zip code of Cullen Jones’ 2009 American record of 21.40.
Cole Cogswell of Santa Clarita-based Canyons finished fifth in the 50 free with a 23.13.
The 6-foot-2 ½ Bilquist of women’s team champion Carmel Swim Club challenged Franklin’s meet record in the women’s 50 free with a time a lifetime-best 25.28, three one-hundredths of a second off Franklin’s 2009 meet record. “I’ve always looked up to all these people,” Bilquist said. “I’m just so honored to even be considered for the future. … (Missy) is amazing.”
Haas, a class of 2015 recruit like Bilquist, won the 800 free in 8:01.82 en route to the male high-point award while Schmidt claimed the 1,500 free in 16:24.09. Palo Alto Stanford won the men’s team title.
In the men’s 400 medley relay, Santa Clarita-based Canyons (3:49.18) and Aquazot (3:50.46) raced under the Southern California Swimming record but Canyons claimed the mark with a sixth-place finish. Aquazot’s team of Thomas Smith (personal-best 57.57 leadoff in the back), Judd Howard, Corey Okubo and Liam Karas placed ninth.
