Maddie Thornton Swims 6 Personal Bests, Wins 5 Races at Washington Open

By Braden Keith on SwimSwam

2024 Washington Open

• January 11-14, 2024
• King County Aquatic Center, Federal Way, Washington
• Short Course Yards (25 yards), Prelims/Finals, 50 stroke races included
• Meet Results

New best times from 15-year-old Jack Wroblewski and 5 gold medals from Maddie Thornton highlighted the 2024 edition of the Washington Open.

Wroblewski, who trains with the Lake Oswego Swim Club in suburban Portland, Oregon, picked up wins in all three breaststroke events, marking new lifetime bests in each.

He won the 50 in 25.86, the 100 in 55.86, and the 200 in 2:01.77. That time in the 100 knocks seven-tenths of a second off his previous best time that was done in November and gives him a nearly two-second improvement this season.

That gives him more versatility and appeal to college coaches as he approaches the start of his recruiting cycle. His best event, the 200, hasn’t seen as dramatic of drops – he’s knocked about 8-tenths off his best time this season. March’s Sectional Championships was his fastest meet last year, so he should still have more yards drops to go before turning to the long course season.

The star on the girls’ side of the meet was Maddie Thornton of the Bend Swim Club, also in Oregon. She picked up 5 event wins and 6 personal bests at the meet – including 5 personal bests in NCAA-schedule events.

• 50 free (1st) – 23.36
• 100 free (1st) – 50.73
• 200 free (1st) – 1:49.12
• 50 back (1st) – 25.52
• 100 back (1st) – 54.72
• 200 back (2nd) – 1:59.30

The 15-year-old is another high school sophomore who didn’t swim arguably her best event, the 200 IM, at this meet, but did crucially climb the national rankings in a lot of other races. That includes the 200 free, where she dropped 1.6 seconds to climb to 15th in the US this season among 15-year-olds.

Thornton is the defending Oregon High School State 5A Champion in the 100 back (55.80) and was 2nd last year in the 200 free (1:51.06).

Other Meet Highlights:

• 14-year-old Syunta Lee from West Coast Aquatics didn’t win any races, but was competitive in many at only 14-years-old, posting best times in six different events. That included a 1:40.95 in the 200 free that moves him into the top 100 in age group history and was a 1.8 second improvement from his previous lifetime best.
• 16-year-old AnneMarie Vlaic, another Lake Oswego Swim Club product, picked up three best times and and three event wins. That included her first best time in the 500 free (4:54.73) in more than 13 months and a new Summer Nationals cut in the 200 fly (1:57.12).
• 14-year-old Owen Stauffer went a best time in the 200 back of 1:52.75.
• Another 14-year-old, Tyler Quarterman of the Boise YMCA, had a nice meet. He won the 400 IM in 1:49.57, which is a new best time for him and his first swim under the 1:50 barrier.

SwimSwam: Maddie Thornton Swims 6 Personal Bests, Wins 5 Races at Washington Open