On the last day of the 2026 USA Swimming Open Water National and Junior National Championships 15-year-old Joey Eaddy of Revolution Aquatic Club in Massachusetts won the boy’s 16U 3 km Knockout Sprints. He earlier won the
Eaddy put the pressure on and took it off on both dryland and in the open water.
He started off strong on both the 1500m and 1000m heats and then built up a lead and then eased into a strong-but-not-exhausting pace. By the final 500m heat, he was ready and took off like a rocket and kept the pace.
Before and between each of the heats, he used his KAATSU B2 bands that repeatedly applied and released compression to his arms. He and his coach Dr. Chris Morgan [shown above] know that the 30 seconds of inflation in his arm bands would lead to an engorgement of blood in his arms and hands, but then the subsequent deflation of air in the bands leads to shear stress within his vascular walls and a quick removal of lactate. “For this kind of competition, the KAATSU equipment is ideal. The athletes only have 10 minutes – sometimes less – to recover and prepare for the next heat when they move on in the Knockout Sprints,” explained Dr. Morgan who received his PhD for the groundbreaking work he did with KAATSU on cardiac rehabilitation patients.
“As the blood is engorged in the vascular tissue in Joey’s arms, his capillaries and veins get stretched for 30 seconds, and then his bands deflate. When the bands deflate, the blood – along with the accumulated lactate – is circulated out of his muscles. Then his recovery process is enhanced. I use it with elite athletes from the USA sprinters on the track to the ice hockey players. The Knockout Sprints is literally the best opportunity to quickly and effectively remove lactate in a short amount of time between heats,” he explained. “At the pool, we use it with our swimmers between heats and finals, and at night during multi-day competitions, but the quick turnaround required at the Knockout Sprints is ideal for getting Joey ready for the next heat.
USA Swimming Open Water Junior National Championships 3 km Knockout Sprints Boy’s Results (Final 500m Heat)
- Joey Eaddy, Revolution Aquatic Club-NE
- Luke Dunn, Metropolitan Aquatic Club-PN
- Owen Miklos, NOVA of Virginia Aquatics, Inc-VA
- Isaac Waks, Victor Swim Club-NI
- Lincoln Driesse, Planet Swim Aquatics-FL
- Sawyer Hansen, Saint Petersburg Aquatics-FL
- Lewis Bateman, Sandpipers Of Nevada-CA
- Charlier Russell, Bolles School Sharks-FL
- Craig O’Mara, Rose Bowl Aquatics-CA
- Hobie Matulis, YMCA of Greater Nashua Storm-NE
Other competitors included:
- Bradshaw Shoemaker, Bradshaw Sarasota Tsunami Swim Team
- Jake Yonge, Jake Badger Swim Club
- Owen Anderson, Owen Planet Swim Aquatics
- Kyle Madigan, Kyle Memphis Thunder Aquatic Club
- Peter Zhou, Peter Revolution Aquatic Club
- Alex Diaz, Alex South Florida Aquatic Club
- Parker Van Olst, Parker New Wave Swim Team
- David Gellin, David North Carolina Aquatic Club
- Mason Slugg, Mason Revolution Aquatic Club
- Bruce Qian, Bruce Asphalt Green Unified Aquatics
- Finn Cavanaugh, Finn Mecklenburg Swim Association
- Wyatt Livingston, Wyatt Bainbridge Island Swim Club
- Luke Reid, Saint Andrew’s Aquatics
- Phillip Tchernikov, New Wave Swim Team
- Nolan Kurtz, Saint Petersburg Aquatics
- Mark Silverman, Asphalt Green Unified Aquatics
- Raymond Li, Rose Bowl Aquatics
- Abhijay Bangari, Shawmut Aquatic Club
- Alexander Kovalev, Saint Petersburg Aquatics
- Benjamin Zhang, Long Island Aquatic Club
- Bryce Salvadori, Southeastern Swim Club
- Daniel Bunge, NOVA of Virginia Aquatics
- Tai Manning, Seattle Metropolitan Aquatic Club
- Wyatt Majors, Bainbridge Island Swim Club
- Lucas Watkins, Bobcat Swim Club
- Samuel Cimbala, Hydro Swim Club
- Oskar Kosloff, Rose Bowl Aquatics
- Liam Chop, Fishers Area Swimming Tigers
- Ricky Kaneaster, Hydro Swim Club
- Roman Snider, SwimMAC Carolina
- Calvin Hodges, Front Range Barracudas
- Luc Schmitt, Revolution Aquatic Club
- Lucas Lieberman, Bolles School Sharks
- Arshawn Behzadian, Rose Bowl Aquatics
- Brayden McCoy, Memphis Thunder Aquatic Club
- Clayton Richards, Aquatic Team Of Mecklenburg
- Matthew Shi, Planet Swim Aquatics
- Joseph Bangali, JBadger Swim Club
- Jaxson Morgan, Sandpipers Of Nevada
- Nate Lee, Rose Bowl Aquatics
- Layne Marano, Saint Petersburg Aquatics
- Alex Kirsling, Nitro Swimming
- Gavin Johnson, Tualatin Hills Swim Club
- Alex Jones, Bellevue Swim Club
- Andrew Kriger, Shawmut Aquatic Club
- Henry Gaither, Aquatic Team Of Mecklenburg
- William Xing, North Carolina Aquatic Club
- Lucas Seng, Sarasota Tsunami Swim Team
- Cole Henderson, Tualatin Hills Swim Club
© 2026 Daily News of Open Water Swimming
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