Maine club teams around the state gathered over the weekend for the newly renamed 2014 Maine Winter Junior Olympics. Formerly known as the “Maine Winter Championship” the meet is the final meet for club swimmers who will not go on to compete at national, sectional, or speedo championship series meets.

In the 200 medley relay, Long Reach Swim Club (LRSC) won the 13 and over and 14 and under relays for both boys and girls.

In the 15 and over 100 breaststroke, Kristy Prelgovisk, a talented breaststroker from the mid Maine dolphins, placed first at 1:04.26

For the boys 13-14 100 breaststroke, Colby Prouty of the hurricane swim club won the event in a blistering fast time of 1:01.92

The breaststroke continued to be a very competitive event as Eric Delmonte won the 15 and over 100 breast in 56.31. Four swimmers in the event were under the one minute barrier with 15 year old Tom Gallup of MDI placing second at 57.93

On the girls side young superstar Caitlin Tycz of LRSC won the 13-14 200 freestyle  in a new state record time of 1:54.77 eclipsing Emily Caras’s record from 2002 of 1:54.85.

For the 15 and over girls MDI’s Leila Johnston (1:51.93) out touched Bangor’s Emma Waddell (1:51.95) who recently achieved All-American status. Johnston narrowly missed the 15-16 state record in the event.

The boys 13-14 200 freestyle saw Bangor’s Sam Carlson touch first in 1:53.07 beating DEFY’s Sam Alvarado for the top spot. On a side note, the boys 13-14 state record in the 200 freestyle of 1:39.20 held by Ian Crocker is a former national record and one of the fastest Maine state records.

Bangor’s David Smallwood earned his first gold of the meet in the 15 and over 200 freestyle touching in 1:43.48. Smallwood will continue his swimming career at Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

Tycz continued to dominate by winning the 13-14 100 butterfly in 56.04. While Coastal Maine Aquatic’s Colby Harvey won the 15 and over at 55.84.

For the 15 and over boys 400 IM Eric Delmonte earned another gold by over eleven seconds touching in 4:06.11.

In the 13-14 girls 200 IM Ana Neff-Jendrasko won the by almost six seconds touching in 2:12.85. Waddell took the 15 and over title with a commanding 2:05.98.

The boys 13-14 200 IM saw Harry Homans of CMA earn a victory by over five seconds. Homans finished in 2:03.44. Delmonte captured first place honors for the 15 and over boys in 1:54.32.

Leila Johnston again out touched Bangor Barracuda Emma Waddell in the 15 and over 50 freestyle at 23.71 over 23.77. Tycz won the 13-14 50 at 24.02. On the men’s side David Smallwood picked up another win at 21.67.

Breaststroker Kristy Prelgovisk went on to win the 200 breaststroke with an impressive time of 2:21.53. Colby Prouty won the 13-14 boys 200 breaststroke by four seconds. Eric Delmonte set a new state record in the 15 and over 200 breaststroke with a time of 2:01.22 surpassing Bruce Crock’s 1992 record of 2:02.61 set his freshman year at Princeton.

Caitlin Tycz earned gold and set another record in the girls 13-14 100 backstroke with a time of 57.32 smashing Jessica Russel’s record of 58.82 from 2009.

Nate Samson had an excellent performance in the boys 15 and over 100 backstroke winning in a time of 51.18.

Anna Neff-Jendrasko won the 13-14 girls 200 backstroke by a strong seven seconds touching in 2:11.05 while Mariah Brady took first place for the 15 and over age group with a 2:07.69.

CMA’s Harry Homans won the 13-14 200 backstroke burying all competition by a full 13 seconds with a time of 2:01.15. In the boys 15 and over age group Nate Samson took home another gold with a time of 1:55.43.

LRSC’s Tycz continued to electrify with another gold medal performance in the 100 freestyle with a time of 52.86. Emma Waddell gave MDI’s Leila Johnston a taste of her own medicine in the 15 and over 100 freestyle. Waddell, who was out touched out by Johnston in two previous events, finished .03 seconds ahead of Johnston with a time of 51.57.

Barracuda Sam Carlson picked up another gold in the 13-14 100 freestyle touching in 52.15. In the 15 and over age group David Smallwood showed no signs of stopping his domination as he won the event by over a second in 46.44.

Caitlin Tycz finished her individual events with a win in the 13-14 girls 200 butterfly. Tycz touched a staggering 14 seconds ahead of second place and set a new state record that lowered Hannah Branch’s record of 2:09.39 from 2004 to 2:08.36.

In the men’s 15 and over 200 butterfly David Smallwood earned another gold medal confidently with a time of 1:53.89 over four seconds ahead of the field.

While there were many impressive performances in the older age groups there was one particular swimmer who showed he has a very promising career ahead of him. Here’s the rundown of 12 year old MDI swimmer Liam Sullivan’s times at the 2014 Winter Junior Olympics:

1st – 50 Breaststroke – 29.32 – STATE RECORD

1st – 100 Freestyle – 52.20

1st – 200 IM – 2:04.74 – STATE RECORD (by SIX seconds)

1st – 100 IM – 58.10 – STATE RECORD (by two seconds)

1st – 100 Breaststroke – 1:02.70 – STATE RECORD (by FIVE seconds)

1st – 200 Freestyle – 1:53.08 – STATE RECORD (by three seconds)

1st – 200 Breaststroke – 2:14.30 – STATE RECORD (by NINE seconds)

1st – 100 Butterfly – 57.95 – STATE RECORD (by two seconds)

1st  – 400 IM – 4:26.94 – STATE RECORD (by 22 seconds)

50 Freestyle – 23.89 – STATE RECORD (broke Olympian Ian Crocker’s record)

His 400 IM is also faster than the 400 medley relay 11-12 state record by a full second.

After breaking nine state records in one meet it is safe to say that Liam Sullivan is the next big thing in Maine swimming. Also, keep in mind that the previous state records in the 50, 100, and 200 breaststroke were his own. He has an incredible amount of potential and it will be very interesting to see his progress over the next few years.

Long Reach won the meet with 3,070 points with PPSC in second with 2675.5 points.