Lexi Stephens Earns Olympic Trial Cut With 2:12.62 200 Back At NOVA LC Kick Off

By Casey Murphy on SwimSwam

2024 VA NOVA LC KICK Off

• April 26-28, 2024
• Richmond, Virginia
• LCM (50 meters)
• Results on Meet Mobile: “NOVA LC Kick Off”

Poseidon Swimming’s Lexi Stephens booked her ticket to the Olympic Trials in the LCM 200 back to highlight the 2024 VA NOVA LC Kick Off meet, which took place April 26-28 in Richmond, Virginia.

Stephens dropped a time of 2:12.62 in the 200 back at the meet to dip under the Olympic Trials cut of 2:13.59. She clocked her previous best time (2:14.06) at the VA NOVA Senior Classic in 2023.

The 18-year-old now ranks 78th all-time in the girls’ 17-18 age group and 9th in the U.S. this season.

Although not setting a personal best, Stephens also swam the 100 back (1:02.65) at the Kick Off meet, finishing ahead of her teammate Elsie Bredbenner, who earned her best time in the event (1:08.13). Stephens got out-touched in the 100 free (58.95) by Sophie Vanyo (58.59) from the Atlantic Coast Athletic Clubs (ACAC).

For Vanyo, the first-place time was a personal best. Vanyo had five other first-place finishes at the meet. She won the 50 free (27.37), 200 free (2:08.76), 100 breast (1:16.90), 100 fly (1:04.65), and 200 IM (2:22.84).

Other highlights from the meet include 14-year-old Lane Francis from Nova of Virginia Aquatics who achieved six personal bests, four first-place finishes, and an NCSA Summer Championships cut in the 200 IM (2:22.94). Francis had an impressive time drop in the 200 IM of nearly seven seconds. Her previous best was 2:29.64.

Nova of Virginia Aquatics’ 10-year-old Yara Tsybulina got five first-place finishes and all of them were personal bests. She won the 50 free (31.99), 200 free (2:30.78), 400 free (5:13.79), 200 back (2:51.56), and 200 IM (2:52.10). Her 200 free time qualifies for the NCSA Summer Championships.

Eleven-year-old Daniel Bunge from Nova of Virginia Aquatics earned six personal bests. He won the 200 free (2:11.70) and 200 IM (2:37.69). His teammate Zander Tan also got six personal bests. 10-year-old Tan won the 50 free (31.92), 100 free (1:08.78), 400 free (5:09.34), 50 back (36.85), 100 back (1:17.72), and 200 IM (2:49.05).

On the boys’ side, Nova of Virginia Aquatics triumphed at the meet, placing higher than Williamsburg Aquatic Club, Poseidon Swimming Inc (VA), and Atlantic Coast Athletic Clubs. Williamsburg Aquatic Club earned the most points for girls.

SwimSwam: Lexi Stephens Earns Olympic Trial Cut With 2:12.62 200 Back At NOVA LC Kick Off