Teagan O’Dell Finishes 0.05 Off Own National High School Record in 200 IM
A record-breaking high school swimming career for Santa Margarita Catholic’s Teagan O’Dell is nearing a end, with the 2023 National High School Swimmer of the Year and Junior Pan Pacific gold medalist set to enroll at Cal-Berkeley next fall. O’Dell currently owns three national high school records, as part of both freestyle relay and in the 200 individual medley, and she nearly broke her own IM mark in her final appearance at the CIF-Southern Section Championships Saturday afternoon.
In a meet held at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, Calif., O’Dell won her signature event in 1:53.43, five hundredths behind the overall national mark of 1:53.38 she set during her sophomore season which in turn broke a national record held by Torri Huske. O’Dell also came up just short of the record last year, swimming a time of 1:53.63 at the sectional championship.
O’Dell might have a chance to swim faster and take down the record at next week’s California state championship meet, although it is currently unclear if she plans to race in that competition.
After winning the medley event by more than five seconds, O’Dell added a win in the 100 backstroke in 51.09, and she led Santa Margarita to wins in both freestyle relays. O’Dell led off the 200 free team in 22.17, and her team finished in 1:30.72. Gracyn Aquino, who joined O’Dell on the national-record-setting relay in this event two years ago, handled anchor duties. To conclude the day, O’Dell swam 48.01 in a 100 free leadoff on the way to an overall 400 free relay time of 3:21.38.
