Saint Petersburg Aquatics Sweeps 15&Under 5K Open Water Jr. National Titles

By Anya Pelshaw on SwimSwam

2024 U.S. OPEN WATER NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

• May 3-5, 2024
• Sarasota, FL
• Nathan Benderson Park
• Open Water
• Meet Info
• Full 5K Junior Results

Open Water Nationals in Sarasota kicked off day 2 with the Junior 5K swims. Saint Petersburg Aquatics swimmers swept the day with wins. Making the wins even more impressive, neither swimmer competed in the event last year.

Spots for the Olympics are not on the line at the competition but spots on the US National and Junior National Team are up for grabs at the meet in the 10K and 7.5K. Today’s event of the 5K is not a selection event for either team. All swimmers in today’s event are 15 and under as of the end of the calendar year.

The girls junior 5K came down to the wire but Brinkleigh Hansen of Saint Petersburg Aquatics pulled away with the win in a 1:00:43 finishing ahead of Alex Siegel of Long Island Aquatic Club who swam a 1:00:47. Zayda Miehl of Corvallis Aquatic Team was just behind Siegel as Miehl swam a 1:00:49.

Hansen spoke on her race saying, “I thought the race was really hard but fun. Staying in the pack was really exciting because I had people to push me.”

Top 10 Girls 5K Results 

1. Brinkleigh Hansen, 1:00:43
2. Alex Siegel, 1:00:47
3. Zayda Miehl, 1:00:49
4. Ava Jochims, 1:00:51
5. Izzy Riva, 1:00:56
6. Rylee Erisman, 1:01.02
7. Sarah Zhang, 1:02:30
8. Isabella Zarkos, 1:02:31
9. Una Diaz, 1:02:45
10. Violet Rutter, 1:03:00

On the boys side, fellow Saint Petersburg Aquatics teammate Cobe Hehenberger swam to a win finishing in a 58:14. Rockville Montgomery Swim Club’s Nicholas Liberty was 2nd in a 58:20. The two pulled away from the pack as Griffin Cagle (SwimMAC Carolina) was 3rd in a 59:48.

Hehenberger spoke of his win saying, “The first two laps were nice, and as soon as the third lap started I had to pick it up. That’s when it started to hurt a lot more.” 

Top 10 Boys 5K Results 

1. Cobe Hehenberger, 58:14
2. Nicholas Liberty, 58:20
3. Griffin Cagle, 59:48
4. Leopold Nurit, 1:00:18
5. Trevor Donley, 1:00:20
6. Ben Battaglia, 1:00:26
7. Liam Schermerhorn, 1:00:31
8. Cole Nelson, 1:00:36
9. Carson Phifer, 1:00:42
10. Parker Van Olst, 1:01:01

The competition concludes tomorrow with the 5K National Championship of any age with the men at 7:30 am and women at 7:45 am. Then, the 16-17 age group has the Junior 7.5K tomorrow with boys at 9:30 am and girls at 9:45 am.

SwimSwam: Saint Petersburg Aquatics Sweeps 15&Under 5K Open Water Jr. National Titles