Ten American Records Fall at Jimi Flowers Classic

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — The Jimi Flowers Classic delivered a record-setting showcase for U.S. Para swimming as athletes mixed to interrupt 10 American information throughout the long-course meet on the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Center.

The annual competitors, hosted by U.S. Paralympics Swimming, once more honored James “Jimi” Flowers, the longtime coach, mentor and U.S. Paralympics Swimming chief whose impression on the game continues to be felt on deck and within the water.

Across two days of racing, the file whole underscored each veteran excellence and rising expertise inside the American Para swimming pipeline. Evan Wilkerson led the best way with 4 American information, Aspen Shelton added three, and Dillon Mezey, Piper Sadowski and Lawrence Sapp every contributed one record-setting swim.

Paris 2024 Paralympian Evan Wilkerson (Wake Forest, North Carolina; S12) continued his sturdy season with one of many prime all-around performances of the meet, setting 4 American information. Wilkerson lowered the American file within the 100-meter backstroke, 50-meter butterfly and 50-meter backstroke, all beforehand held by Paralympic legend Brad Snyder, earlier than breaking one other American file within the 200-meter backstroke that had stood since 1992.

Two-time Paralympian Lawrence Sapp (Waldorf, Maryland; S14) additionally made his mark over the weekend, reducing his personal American file within the 50-meter butterfly to 26.25. Sapp now holds seven American information within the S14 classification.

Freshman Dillon Mezey (Colorado Springs, Colorado; S3) continued the momentum from this yr’s National Championships, the place he broke 5 American information, by including one other record-setting swim within the 100-meter backstroke.

Piper Sadowski (Grand Rapids, Michigan; S14), who trains on the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Center in Colorado Springs and is a member of the U23 National Team, broke the seventh American file of her profession with a time of two:23.25 within the 200-meter freestyle.

Aspen Shelton (Southlake, Texas; SB2) returned to the Jimi Flowers Classic and broke three American information, reducing her personal mark within the 50-meter breaststroke whereas setting new requirements within the 200-meter backstroke and 100-meter breaststroke.

The 10 American Records

• Dillon Mezey (S3) — 100-meter backstroke: 2:08.15

• Evan Wilkerson (S11) — 100-meter backstroke: 1:05.98

• Aspen Shelton (S3) — 200-meter backstroke: 5:15.05

• Evan Wilkerson (S11) — 200-meter backstroke: 2:24.74

• Aspen Shelton (SB2) — 50-meter breaststroke: 1:08.28

• Piper Sadowski (S14) — 200-meter freestyle: 2:23.25

• Evan Wilkerson (S11) — 50-meter backstroke: 29.90

• Aspen Shelton (SB2) — 100-meter breaststroke: 2:45.05

• Lawrence Sapp (S14) — 50-meter butterfly: 26.25

• Evan Wilkerson (S11) — 50-meter butterfly: 28.60

With momentum constructing, consideration now turns to the 2026 Para Pan Pacific Swimming Championships, set for Aug. 28-30 in Walnut, California, the place Team USA will tackle prime worldwide competitors.