Swimming

SwimMAC Novant Invite: Sammons Hits Three #1 US 13-14 Times, Willis Nails 1:03.88 LCM BR

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By Nick Pecoraro on SwimSwam

2024 NC SwimMAC Novant Invitational

  • Jan 13-15, 2024
  • SwimMAC Training Facility at Charlotte Latin
  • Charlotte, NC
  • LCM
  • Meet Results

Earlier this month, an up-and-coming SwimMAC teen crew threw down nation-leading times at the 2024 SwimMAC Novant Invitational in Charlotte. Highlighting the meet was SwimMAC 14-year-old David Sammons, who ranks #1 in three events among US 13-14 boys this 2023-24 season.

Sammons lead the boys 13-14 200 IM prelims (2:09.06) and won both the 100 backstroke (1:00.39) and 200 fly (2:06.99), all nation-leading times. Sammons was off his 200 fly entry time of 2:04.11, while flirting with his 100 backstroke PB and setting his 200 IM PB in prelims, still winning finals at 2:09.64. Sammons also set winning personal bests in the 100 fly (56.71) and boys 11-14 400 IM (4:36.58), both #2 US 13-14 times this season. Sammons now improves to 28th in 100 fly, 35th in 200 IM, and 65th in the all-time US boys 13-14 LCM rankings.

Another highlight swimmer was Florida commit and class of 2025 honorable mention Jordan Willis, dropping nearly three seconds from prelims to win the boys open 100 breast at 1:03.88, just off his season best of 1:02.77 from the 2023 U.S Open. The World Juniors silver medalist ranks 2nd in boys US 15-16 LCM 100 breast performers for 2024, with Team Suffolk’s Noah Cakir leading the nation this new year at 1:02.98 from the Knoxville stop of the 2024 Pro Swim Series.

Willis’ season best of 1:02.77 also ranks second for the 2023-24 season, with NAG holder Ian Call of Memphis Thunder taking that lead with 1:02.30 from the 2023 Winter Juniors East LCM Time Trials. Willis owns a personal best of 1:02.64 from May 2023, which sits at 25th in the all-time US 15-16 rankings. Back at 2023 Winter Juniors, Willis placed 10th in the 100 breast (53.76) and boasted a 3rd place 200 breast finish (1:55.30).

U.S. Boys’ 15-16 Top Performers- LCM 100 BR, 2024 Year

  1. Noah Cakir  (Team Suffolk), 1:02.98
  2. Jordan Willis (SwimMAC), 1:03.88
  3. Andrew Eubanks (Dolphins Portland), 1:05.35
  4. Elonzo Santos (La Mirada Armada), 1:05.57
  5. Julien Lee (Tualatin Hills), 1:05.60

U.S. Boys’ 15-16 Top Performers- LCM 100 BR, 2023-24 Season

  1. Ian Call (Memphis Thunder), 1:02.30
  2. Jordan Willis (SwimMAC), 1:02.77
  3. Noah Cakir  (Team Suffolk), 1:02.98
  4. Matt Vatev (Hornet), 1:04.00
  5. Remo Mann (DART), 1:04.84

A 13-14 boys’ SwimMAC quartet, including Sammons along with 14-year-old Dean Hamid plus 13-year-olds Eli Sweet and Scott Williams, met up several times in finals for a competitive weekend of racing together.

Sammons stole his first win meet win in the 400 IM with a 8.51-second winning margin. Sweet settled for another silver at 4:45.09 while Williams placed 5th at 4:58.50, both ranking 7th and 21st in the US respectively. The trio met again in the 100 back, where Sammons picked up his 4th win at 1:00.39, with Sweet (4th, 1:03.69, US #11) and Williams (7th, 1:05.50, US #25) finishing seconds later.

Finishing seconds behind Sammons in the 200 IM final were Sweet (2:14.27) and Williams (2:19.26), both ranking 9th and 16th in the US. Fast forward to the 100 breast, Hamid came out on top at 1:09.93, touching ahead of Williams (1:10.29) and Sweet (1:12.52). Hamid, Williams, and Sweet currently rank 9th, 11th, and 20th respectively for US 13-14 boys this season. Hamid also won the 50 free final at 25.85, which ranks 17th in the US.

Sweet finally avenged gold in the 200 breast at 2:33.03, narrowly touching out Hamid (2:33.08) and Williams (2:33.27). This trio now rank 8-9-11 for SwimMAC in the top 20 US 15-16 season rankings.

In the last individual event, Georgia native Collier Stanton of Gwinnett Aquatics swung down an upset victory on the dominant SwimMAC crew during 100 free finals with a winning time of 56.70, edging out Hamid by one one-hundredth of a second. Another SwimMAC 14-year-old, Griffin Cagle, punched in a narrow third place at 56.87 while Williams took 4th at 58.31. Hamid did lead 100 free prelims with a 56.38, which ranks 10th in the nation this season. Meanwhile, event winner Stanton ranks 11th among US 13-14 boys this season.

Stanton was previously spotted in the 400 IM final, Sammons’ first meet win, placing 3rd with a US 15-16 #13 time of 4:50.98.

SwimSwam: SwimMAC Novant Invite: Sammons Hits Three #1 US 13-14 Times, Willis Nails 1:03.88 LCM BR

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