Modglin wins Junior National titles in backstroke, IM
Aug. 5—Zionsville's Will Modglin is having a big meet at the Speedo Jr. Nationals in Irvine California.
The rising senior won the national title in the 100-meter backstroke in a time 54.41 seconds.
The time was a meet record and the eighth-fastest time by an 18-year-old in USA Swimming history.
Modglin was third at the 50 in a time of 26.84, trailing by more than a half second. But he dominated the last 50, out-splitting the field by at least nine-tenths of a second.
The next night, Modglin won his second title in the 200-meter IM. He won in 2:01.40, out-touching Nate Germonprez by .04 seconds.
It was a neck-and-neck race throughout between the two future college teammates, along with Josh Zuchowski. Zuchowski led through the first three legs, but Modglin and Germonprez, out-split him by more than half a second in the freestyle.
Between the top-2 finishers, Germonprez led 25.88-25.98 after the butterfly leg, and the two had equal splits on the backstroke.
Modglin out-split Germonprez by .11 on the breaststroke to take a .01 lead, then held off the Nebraska native in the freestyle leg.
They were the highlights in what was a strong meet for Modglin.
He was third in the 100-meter freestyle in 49.97 seconds, the first time he broke the 50-second barrier in the event.
Later in the meet he placed third in the 200-meter backstroke in a time of 2:00.85.
He started the meet with a 13th-place finish in the 100-meter breaststroke in a time of 1:03.48.
He capped the meet with solid showings in the 200-IM and 50-meter freestyle.
In the 50-meter freestyle, he was third in the prelims in a time of 23.03.
Modglin isn't the only Zionsville resident competing this week.
Recent graduate Devon Kitchel helped Carmel Swim Club place second in two relays.
The 4x50 medley relay team of Kitchel, Berit Berglund, Molly Sweeney and Alex Shackell finished in 1:52.08. Kitchel, Sweeney, Shackell and Madelyn Christman placed second in the 4x50 freestyle relay in 1:44.40.
Individually, Kitchel placed 13th in the 100-meter breaststroke in a time of 1:10.99, 28th in the 100-meter butterfly in 1:02.07 and 64th in the 200-meter breaststroke in a time of 2:40.53.
Another recent graduate, Charlie Krone competed in three events.
In the 200-meter butterfly he placed 85th in a time of 2:09.57. He also placed 109th in a time of 56.92 in the 100-meter butterfly and 100th in a time of 1:57.79 in the 200-meter freestyle.
Will Willems is the Sports Editor of the Lebanon Reporter. Follow him on Twitter @Will_Willems.
