SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Ava Chavez hit the U.S. Olympic Trials standards in the 100-meter butterfly while Erica Jaffe placed fifth in the 200 backstroke, competing for the Sierra Marlins at the USA Swimming Speedo Junior National Championships, held at the William Woollett Jr. Aquatics Center this week. Chavez graduated from St. Francis in 2023, while Jaffe begins her junior year at the all-girls Catholic high school this fall.
Chavez and Jaffe were members of the Troubadours swim team that won the Sac-Joaquin Section Division II title for the first time since 2011, and the program's first Delta League banner since 2015. They were also part of a SF delegation that placed sixth at the state championship. Chavez and Jaffe each also earned two All-Delta League honors. Chavez, the team's Most Valuable Swimmer, begins her collegiate swim career at Cal this fall.
Chavez bubbled the 100 fly final by a mere .06 of a second, posting a 1:00.77 in the prelim to finish behind Audrey Derivaux of Jersey Wahoos (1:00.71). However, Chavez notched her 59.49 to run away with the consolation final, more than a full second ahead of Bellevue Club's Clare Watson (1:00.64), and seven tenths ahead of the Trials standard of 1:00.19.
Jaffe went 2:15.10 for third place in the 200 back prelim, edging Mira Keller of STAR Swimming by a mere hundredth of a second. She then improved to a 2:14.91 in the championship final, good for fifth place and 14 team points for the Marlins.
Jaffe and Chavez swam the leadoff and anchor legs, respectively, of the 18th-place 800 free relay (8:25.45). Chavez made one championship final, placing eighth in the 200 individual medley (2:19.50); and reached the consols in the 100 free (12th) and 200 free (DQ in final).
2023 SPEEDO JUNIOR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
William Woollett Jr. Aquatic Center (Irvine, Calif.)
Winners plus St. Francis students listed
WOMEN'S 200 MEDLEY RELAY - 1. Mission Viejo (O'Dell, Phillips, Stinson, Salvino), 1:52.87... 23. Sierra Marlins (Jaffe, Claus-Udarbe, Chavez, Palacios), 1:58.66.
WOMEN'S 100 FREESTYLE - 1. Bailey Hartman, Crow Canyon Sharks, 55.13... 12. Ava Chavez, 56.59 (56.37 prelim)
WOMEN'S 800 FREE RELAY - 1. Long Island AC (Gormsen, Howley, Yee, Gormsen), 8:09.06... 18. Sierra Marlins (Jaffe, Palacios, Claus-Udarbe, Chavez), 8:25.45.
WOMEN'S 100 BUTTERFLY - 1. Tess Howley, Long Island AC, 58.99... 9. Ava Chavez, 59.49.
WOMEN'S 200 BACKSTROKE - 1. Ellie Clarke, Carmel SC, 2:13.52... 5. Erica Jaffe, 2:14.91.
WOMEN'S 200 FREESTYLE - 1. Madi Mintenko, Pikes Peak AC, 1:58.07... Ava Chavez, DQ (2:02.68 prelim).
WOMEN"S 100 BACKSTROKE - 1. Teagan O'Dell, Mission Viejo Nadadores, 1:00.50... 59. Erica Jaffe, 1:04.66.
WOMEN'S 200 INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY - 1. Caroline Bricke, Pikes Peak AC, 2:13.18... 8. Ava Chavez, 2:19.50 (2:18.36 prelim).
WOMEN'S 400 MEDLEY RELAY - 1. Carmel SC (Berglund, Sweeney, Shackell, Bowen), 4:06.18... 35. Sierra Marlins (Jaffe, Lang, Chavez, Palacios), 4:20.97.
