2021 SPEEDO SUMMER CHAMPIONSHIPS – IRVINE
14-year-old Teagan O’Dell of Irvine Novaquatics placed third in the Irvine women’s 400 IM A-final at 4:46.73, notching a personal best by 4.73s. O’Dell is now tied for No. 10 in the all-time 13-14 rankings with Stanford swimmer Allie Skezely (2012).
ALL-TIME TOP 100 AGE GROUP TIMES – 13-14 WOMEN’S 400 IM LCM
- Becca Mann, 4:39.76 (2012)
- Katie Hoff, 4:39.82 (2004)
- Myla Slones, 4:43.99 (2018)
- Claire Tuggle, 4:44.81 (2018)
- Elizabeth Beisel, 4:44.87 (2007)
- Mariah Denigan, 4:45.41 (2018)
- Erika Hansen, 4:45.58 (1984)
- Jenny Parmenter, 4:46.36 (1995)
- Leah Hayes, 4:46.48 (2019)
- Allie Skezely/Teagan O’Dell, 4:46.73 (2012/2021**)
This is now O’Dell’s 3rd top-10 all-time 13-14 age group ranking of this meet. So far, she has swum 2:09.57 in the 200 back, ranking No. 2 all-time, along with hitting 55.80 in the 100 free, becoming the No. 5 all-time performer. During the final, O’Dell had the fastest 100 back split of 1:10.07 (35.16/34.91).
Also moving up the 13-14 rankings was 13-year-old Kayla Han of La Mirada Armada, breaking 4:50 for the first time with a 5th-place finishing time of 4:49.73. Han now ranks No. 22 all-time in the 13-14 rankings. Among all U.S. 13-year-olds in history, Han now boosts from No. 5 to No. 3, besting Elizabeth Beisel‘s age 13 best time of 4:50.31.
ALL-TIME U.S. 13-Year-Old WOMEN’S 400 IM LCM
- Leah Hayes, 4:46.48 (2019)
- Grace Sheble, 4:49.49 (2016)
- Kayla Han, 4:49.73 (2021)**
- Becca Mann, 4:50.17 (2011)
- Elizabeth Beisel, 4:50.31 (2006)
Second-place finisher, 16-year-old Caroline Bricker of COSA, swam a lifetime best by more than four seconds, dropping from 4:50.60 to 4:46.44. Her previous lifetime best came from just two weeks ago. She now ranks No. 48 all-time in the 15-16 rankings, sitting a tenth behind 2012 Olympic finalist Kathleen Hersey.
Reported by Spencer Penland.
WOMEN’S 400 IM – FINALS
Podium:
- Justina Kozan (MVN) – 4:41.53
- Caroline Bricker (COSA) – 4:46.44
- Teagan O’Dell (NOVA) – 4:46.73
In a blistering fast A final, 17-year-old Mission Viejo star Justina Kozan won her 3rd title of the meet, clocking a 4:41.53. The time was just off Kozan’s personal best of 4:40.57, which she swam in prelims at the Olympic Trials Wave II meet in June, qualifying for the final. The race was extremely tight through the first 300 meters, with COSA’s Caroline Bricker leading at the breast-to-free turn. Kozan is in a tier of her own when it comes to closing races, however, and she was able to go from 0.97 seconds behind Bricker at the 300m, to leading her by almost 5 full seconds at the finish. Kozan split a 1:02.88 on freestyle.
Coming in 2nd was Caroline Bricker, who swam a lifetime best by more than 4 seconds to get her hand on the wall for Silver. Bricker, 16, had a personal best of 4;50.60, which she had just swum two weeks ago. Bricker used the fastest fly split in the field (1:04.14), as well as the 2nd-fastest breast split (1:20.00), to shield bookcase her worst stroke – backstroke. She was able to hold off Teagan O’Dell down the stretch. With the swim, Bricker is now the #48 all-time 15-16 girl in the event.
14-year-old Teagan O’Dell of Irvine Novaquatics continues to have the meet of her life. Her 4:46.73 marks a personal best by over seconds. O’Dell’s previous best of 4:51.46 was swum in June of this year. Unsurprisingly, O’Dell, who became the #2 all-time 13-14 girls 200 backstroker last night, posted the fastest backstroke split in the field tonight – 1:10.07. O’Dell is now tied for #10 all-time in the 13-14 girls rankings in this event, making it her 3rd top 10 all-time ranking of the meet.
Katie McCarthy of Edina Swim Club finished 4th in a new best time of 4:48.93. The swim chipped 0.20 seconds off her previous best, which she set in April of this year.
13-year-old Kayla Han cracked a lifetime best as well, finishing 5th in 4:49.73. The La Mirada Armada product bettered her lifetime best of 4:50.65, which she had just swum this morning. Han is now the #22 13-14 all-time in the event.