Sophomore Collin Holgerson Post 54.70 in the 100 Breast at Early-Season Invite in Florida

2024 Byron Plapp Invite

September 14, 2024
Tarver Pool, The Bolles School, Jacksonville, Florida
Short Course Yards (25 yards), Prelims/Finals
High school meet
Results

The 2024 Byron Plapp Invite, commemorating a former Bolles swimmer Byron Plapp who died in 2015 from lymphoma, welcomed some of the top high school programs from around the state and the McCallie School from Chattanooga, Tennessee two weeks ago.

The meet included the hosts, last year’s Florida High School 1A State Champions for boys and girls from Bolles, as well as big-name programs like last year’s 2A girls’ runners-up Gulliver Prep, The Pine Crest School, last year’s 4A third-place finishers on the girls’ side Winter Park, and Class 3A region champions Creekside High.

On the boys’ side, it was the team from Braddock High, a group that was 2nd at last year’s 4A State Championship meet, who carried the day.

Anthony Pineiro, a junior who just began his college recruiting cycle won the 100 fly in 49.16 and the 100 back in 48.14. That 100 back time is a new personal best, shaving .13 seconds off the time he did at a late-September high school invite last season. He was a few tenths slower at the state meet in November last season (48.50), but that was still good enough for a state title in the 100 back.

He’s also the defending state champion in the 100 fly.

He was followed in both races by teammate and Air Force commit Dylan Ferguson, who swam 50.46 in the 100 fly and 49.05 in the 100 back.

Nicolas Kokidko, just a sophomore, also picked up a pair of wins and best times in the mid-distance freestyles. He won the 200 free early in the meet in 1:41.08 and the 500 free later in the meet in 4:29.36. That time in the 500 free ranks him 1st nationally in the event among swimmers of any age early in the short course season.

The visitors from Tennessee also had standout performances at the meet. Marvin Johnson won the 50 free (21.06) and 100 free (45.23), while Collin Holgerson won the 100 breaststroke in 54.70 in his only individual race. That gave him a three-second margin over the field.

Holgerson, only a sophomore, previously swam 54.88 at Winter Juniors – East in December. After this meet, he became the fastest high schooler, and third-fastest swimmer overall behind a pair of Cal guys, in the 100 breast this season nationally.

Ian Heysen Ricci from Winter Park (his school swam at this meet but he didn’t) passed him a week later with a personal best of 54.21 at the Patriot Invitational.

On the girls’ side, it was another sophomore Blakely Hammel who had the biggest performances of the day. She won the 100 free in 51.02 and the 200 IM in 2:04.27. The Episcopal swimmer jumped off this meet to new lifetime bests in the 50 free (23.35) and 500 free (4:55.14) a week later at the Patriot Invitational.

Other Notable Results

Jacksonville Episcopal’s Finn Zubero is off to a hot start to his high school career. He swam 1:00.72 in the 100 breast and 1:59.77 in the 200 IM, both for 7th. A week later at the Patriot Invitational, he swam a season-best of 59.71 in the 100 breast. He’s following in the footsteps of his father and coach Martin, who won bronze in the 200 breaststroke for Spain at the 1992 Olympic Games.
Pine Crest uncommitted junior Jake Jones swam new personal bests in the 500 free (4:38.15), the 100 breast (57.54), and the 100 free on a relay leadoff leg (48.92).