USA Swimming contact:

Sara Hunninghake, (719) 866-3588, shunninghake@usaswimming.org

MELBOURNE, Australia – The U.S. National Junior Team added an explanation point to a stellar performance at the Victorian State Championships (Jan. 3-7, Melbourne, Australia), capturing 10 medals on the final night of competition, including six gold, three silver and a bronze.

During the course of the five-day meet, Team USA hauled in 39 total medals: 15 gold, 11 silver and 13 bronze.

The Americans were especially successful at the 50-meter races on Saturday, capturing three individual golds at that distance. Kristen Shickora (Tamaqua, Pa. / Atlantis Aquatic Club) swam to gold in the 50m backstroke (29.44), while teammate Karlee Bispo (Modesto, Calif. / Pirate Aquatics) placed first in the 50m freestyle (26.320. Dillon Connolly (Marietta, Ga. / Marietta Marlins) took home gold in the 50m breaststroke (29.34) to complete the true sweep of all three breaststroke races.

Leading a stacked American field in the men’s 200m butterfly, David Mosko (Cincinnati, Ohio / Cincinnati Marlins) edged teammate David Seiler (Auburn, Calif. / Sierra Marlins) for the gold. Mosko’s time of 2:00.95 was seven-tenths faster than Seiler, who was the silver medalist with a time of 2:01.68. Four other Americans rounded out the top 10.

Team USA also went 1-2 in the men’s 1500m free as Chad LaTourette (Mission Viejo, Calif. / Mission Viejo Nadadores) collected his second individual distance freestyle gold, posting a 15:39.19. Logan Storie (Corvallis, Ore. / Corvallis Aquatic Team) clocked at 16:00.40 to secure the silver medal.

The U.S. women won their second relay gold of the meet, adding another title in the 400m freestyle relay. The team of Megan Romano, Samantha Woodward, Kirsten Smith and Karlee Bispo registered a 3:49.23 to take top honors.

To view a full team summary of results by name, go to http://www.usaswimming.org/USASWeb/_Rainbow/Documents/8e11acd2-fed3-4c74-be37-b44506152e53/Full%20Team%20Results%20Summary.pdf.

Download the National Junior Team media guide by logging on to www.usaswimming.org.

Here’s how the rest of Team USA fared in the Top 10 in each event:

Women’s 50m Back FINAL:

Kristen Shickora (Tamaqua, Pa.), 29.44, Gold

Megan Romano (St. Petersburg, Fla.), 30.56, 7th

Men’s 100m Free FINAL:

Eugene Godsoe (Greensboro, N.C.), 52.29, 7th

Women’s 100m Fly FINAL:

Samantha Woodward (Edmond, Okla.), 1:01.29, Bronze

Kathleen Hersey (Atlanta, Ga.), 1:01.74, 4th

Teresa Crippen (Conshohocken, Pa.), 1:03.10, 7th

Tanya Krisman (Wildomar, Calif.), 1:05.52, 10th

Women’s 50m Free FINAL:

Karlee Bispo (Modesto, Calif.), 26.32, Gold

Samantha Woodward (Edmond, Okla.), 26.47, 4th

Megan Romano (St. Petersburg, Fla.), 26.52, 5th

Kristen Shickora (Tamaqua, Pa.), 26.92, 8th

Men’s 50m Breast FINAL:

Dillon Connolly (Marietta, Ga.), 29.34, Gold

Troy Nissen (Sacramento, Calif.), 30.54, 8th

Clark Burckle (Louisville, Ky.), 30.73, 9th

Men’s 200m Back FINAL:

Josh Hafkin (Rockville, Md.), 2:05.50, 6th

Eugene Godsoe (Greensboro, N.C.), 2:13.06, 10th

Women’s 200m Breast FINAL:

Michelle McKeehan (Greenwood, Ind.), 2:33.84, 4th

Caitlin Leverenz (Tucson, Ariz.), 2:34.85, 5th

Stephanie Gabert (Newport Beach, Calif.), 2:37.45, 7th

Kirsten Smith (Cary, N.C.), 2:42.67, 10th

Men’s 200m Fly FINAL:

David Mosko (Cincinnati, Ohio), 2:00.95, Gold

David Seiler (Auburn, Calif.), 2:01.68, Silver

Mark Dylla (Littleton, Colo.), 2:02.37, 4th

Daniel McMahon (Atlanta, Ga.), 2:03.02, 5th

Phillip Hinrichsen (Darnestown, Md.), 2:03.49, 6th

Clark Burckle (Louisville, Ky.), 2:06.29, 10th

Women’s 200m Free FINAL:

Megan Romano (St. Petersburg, Fla.), 2:01.32, Silver

Teresa Crippen (Conshohocken, Pa.), 2:05.08, 7th

Leah Gingrich (Enola, Pa.), 2:06.28, 9th

Women’s 400m Free Relay FINAL:

USA ‘A’ Gold 3:49.23

(Megan Romano, Samantha Woodward, Kirsten Smith and Karlee Bispo)

USA ‘B’ 6th 3:57.42

(Kristen Shickora, Michelle McKeehan, Kathleen Hersey, Monica Drake)

Men’s 1500m Free FINAL:

Chad LaTourette (Mission Viejo, Calif.), 15:36.19, Gold

Logan Storie (Corvallis, Ore.), 16:00.40, Silver

About USA Swimming

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