The 2019 Phillips 66 US National Championships served as the qualifying meet for the 2019 FINA World Junior Championships. The top 2 age eligible athletes in each Olympic event earned a spot on the US World Junior Championship team. Eleven Lakeside swimmers competed in Palo Alto, CA this week at the National Championships.
On Saturday morning, Lakeside’s Annabel Crush qualified for the A final of the 100m backstroke with her time of 1:00.74. That is 9th fastest time in the world this year for 18 & Under swimmers. Overall, that is the 60th fastest time in the world this year for swimmers of all ages. At finals, she finished 8th in the nation, and 2nd among swimmers that are eligible to make the US World Junior Championship roster, securing her spot on the team.
“We are very excited for Annabel to take her next step, and really proud or her ability to make it happen by being ready and swimming fast in prelims,” said Head Coach Mike DeBoor. “You have to be there in the morning to have a chance at night.”
Annabel and Claire Curzan (TAC Titans) will swim the 100m backstroke in Budapest at the end of the month. They’ve also qualified to swim the 50m backstroke, and will be considered for relays, as well.
World Junior Championship Schedule
On August 13th, the team will assemble in Washington, DC, where they will spend two days before departing for Hungary. They will spend a few days in Budapest preparing for meet before the competition begins. The opening ceremony will be on Tuesday, August 20, 2019 and the closing ceremony will be on Sunday, August 25th.
Prelims and semi-finals of the 100m Backstroke will be on Tuesday, August 20th. The 100m backstoke finals will be on Wednesday, August 21st. Prelims and semi-finals of the 50m Backstroke will be on Friday, August 23rd. The 50m backstroke finals will be on Saturday, August 24th.
Brooke Forde and Kennedy Lohman are the two most recent Seahawks to represent Team USA at the World Junior Championships. They both made the 2015 team that competed in Singapore.