Erika Pelaez Posts 100 Free Personal Best With 54.56 To Close Fort Lauderdale 18&U Spring Cup

By Anya Pelshaw on SwimSwam

2024 18&UNDER SPRING CUP- FORT LAUDERDALE

• May 2-5, 2024
• Fort Lauderdale Aquatic Center
• LCM (50 meters)
• Psych Sheets
• Preview/Night 1 Recap
• Day 2 Recap
• Day 3 Recap

Highlighting the final night in Fort Lauderdale was NC State commit Erika Pelaez as she swam a personal best time in the 100 free swimming a 54.56. Her old best time was a 54.65 from 2022 Summer Nationals. Pelaez already swam a personal best in the 200 free earlier in the meet. Virginia commit Aspen Gersper was 2nd in a 56.33, less than two-tenths off her lifetime best.

Later in the session, Pelaez swam to another win clocking a 2:15.39 in the 200 back. Lilly Robertson was 2nd in a 2:18.00, a best time by 1.2 seconds. Robertson is headed to Tennessee next fall.

15 year old Emerson Callis posted another win as she swam a 2:16.76 in the 200 IM to win by over five seconds. That was a best time for Callis as her old best was a 2:18.06. Fellow 15 year old Ella Gotham was 2nd in a 2:21.91, a best time by over three seconds.

The distance freestyle events also occurred on the final day. 15 year old Madeline Brennan won the 1500 free in a 17:27.27. She was entered with a time in the 800. That was a huge best time as her old best was a 18:33.42 from July 2023. Finsihing in 2nd was Da’jah German who touched in a 17:38.36, a best by almost 18 seconds.

On the boys side of the distance freestyle, Juan Vallmitjana swam a 8:11.12 to win by over two seconds. He dropped over 10 seconds in his swim. Luke Brennan was 2nd in a 8:13.43.

Teammate of Pelaez, Kaii Winkler swam to a 50.18 in the 100 freestyle. Winkler is also committed to NC State. His best time in the event is a 48.81. Wisconsin commit Enzo Solitario continued his momentum at the meet posting another personal best swimming a 50.94 for 2nd. Solitario’s old best time was a 52.11 from last summer’s NCSA Championships.

After swimming a personal best in the 200 back just a few weeks ago, Anthony Pineiro swam to the win in a 2:05.51 just off his best from last month that stands at a 2:04.94. Nate Thomas finished 2nd in a 2:07.09.

Giulian Martin swam to a lifetime best in the 200 IM with a 2:07.38. His old best time was a 2:08.23 from last summer’s Futures meet. The 400 IM champion earlier in the meet Eric Kupsky was 2nd in a 2:08.25.

SwimSwam: Erika Pelaez Posts 100 Free Personal Best With 54.56 To Close Fort Lauderdale 18&U Spring Cup