On the second day of the 2026 USA Swimming Open Water National and Junior National Championships in Sarasota, Florida, 15-year-old Clare Herfel of Northern Kentucky Clippers Swimming won the girl’s 16U 5 km champion. Her victory was preceded by a similar sizable victory by another 15-year-old Joey Eaddy of Revolution Aquatic Club in Massachusetts.

Both Herfel and Eaddy are promising versatile distance freestylers who have won their respective Sectionals in various pool events. But they are now taking their pool skills into the open water during this Olympic quadrennial – and most probably beyond.

With 83 starters in the race, Herfel took control early and eventually won by a 10-second victory. She was followed by a pair of Long Island Aquatic Club teammates, Una Diaz and Charlotte Kohner.

After a 23rd place finish in yesterday’s senior women’s 10 km race, Herfel was ready for victory in the shorter race.

USA Swimming Junior National Championship 5 km Race – Girl’s Results

1. Clare Herfel, 16, Northern Kentucky Clippers Swimming 1:04:15
2. Una Diaz, 16, Long Island Aquatic Club 1:04:25
3. Charlotte Kohner, 16, Long Island Aquatic Club1:04:35
4. Grace Gannon, 14, Fishers Area Swimming Tigers1:04:38
5. Liv Fleshman, 16, TAC Titans 1:04:39
6. Dru Herschberger, 16, Sarasota Sharks 1:04:41
7. Lauren Canty Long Island Aquatic Club 1:04:45
8. Ansley Bess, 15, St Petersburg Aquatics 1:04:51
9. Kate Warren, 16, Sandpipers of Nevada 1:05:18
10. Lola Angotti, 16, Sandpipers of Nevada 1:05:21
11. Olivia Parent, 15, Sunrise Swim Club 1:04:41
12. Penelope Wheaton, 16, Asphalt Green Unified Aquatics 1:05:42
13. Varvara Dmitrova, 15, South Florida Aquatic Club 1:05:46
14. Landyn Myers, 16, Sandpipers of Nevada1:05:48
15. Ellison Mandacina, 16, Alamo Heights Aquatic Club1:06:01
16. Lila Botham, 15, Dynamo Swim Club1:06:03
17. Natalie Parent, 16, Greater Holyoke YMCA Vikings 1:06:04
18. Sam Gatesman, 15, Jersey Wahoos 1:06:09
19. Mara Ahearn, 15, Rockville Montgomery Swim Club 1:06:21
20. Keira Druck, 15, Laker Swim 1:06:22
21. Emma Fouke, 15, CSP Tideriders 1:06:37
22. Vivie Murphy, 15, Barracuda Swim Club of Northeast Tennessee 1:06:39
23. Itzabella Cinco, 16, Santa Clara Swim Club 1:06:40
24. Kaia Finanger, 16, The Woodlands Swim Team 1:06:44
25. Tessa Hurguy, 15, Bainbridge Island Swim Club 1:06:49
26. Makena Manteufel, 16, Sandpipers of Nevada 1:06:50
27. Mae Herschberger, 16, Sarasota Sharks 1:06:51
28. Ellie Jones, 15, CSP Tideriders 1:06:55
29. Skylar Revere, 15, Bolles Swim Club 1:07:01
30. Mila Fisher, 15, Long Island Aquatic Club 1:07:16
31. Olivia Williams, 15, North Jeffco Swim Team 1:07:31
32. Delaney Snodgrass, 16, Bobcast Swim Club 1:07:33
33. Elyse Brenenborg, 16, Racer X Aquatics 1:07:51
34. Ava Dipasquale, 15, Sarasota Tsunami Swim Team 1:07:52
35. Fiona Livingston, 14, Bainbridge Island Swim Club 1:07:56
36. Orielle Hall, 15, NOVA of Virginia Aquatics 1:07:59
37. McKinnley Polk, 15, Berkeley Aquatics 1:08:01
38. Madelyn Loehfelm, 16, STAR Swimming 1:08:02
39. Evie Carnathan, 16, Hydro Swim Club 1:08:03
40. Isabel Cox, 14, Flashes Aquatics 1:08:04
41. Leah O’Connell, 14, Long Island Aquatic Club 1:08:06
42. Sophia Angelopoulou, 15, Barracuda Swim Club of Northeast Tennessee 1:08:12
43. Bethan Pullan, 16, Tualatin Hills Swim Club 1:08:12
44. Elizabeth McIntyre, 16, Aquatic Club of Mecklenburg 1:08:14
45. Eva Wetzel, 16, Barrington Swim Club 1:08:19
46. Ellie Breeding, 15, Jersey Wahoos 1:08:24
47. Summer Lee, 15, Long Island Aquatic Club 1:08:29
48. Gabby Graham, 14, Academy Bullets Swim Club 1:08:31
49. Sophie Brauneis, 16, SUNN Swimming 1:08:33
50. Brooklyn Rager, 16, Fishers Area Swimming Tigers 1:08:38
51. Leah Abrams, 16, Sarasota Sharks 1:08:31
52. Amelia Callahan, 15, Jersey Wahoos 1:08:44
53. Syd Conlan, 14, Hydro Swim Club 1:08:47
54. Molly Wideikis, 15, Hinsdale Swim Club 1:08:49
55. Molly Cosgrove, 16, Badger Swim Club 1:08:50
56. Annie Tansey, 15, Rockville Montgomery Swim Club 1:08:51
57. Grace Costello, 16, Planet Swim Aquatics1:09:12
58. Addy Kieffer, 14, Tampa Bay Aquatic Club 1:09:15
59. Reese Miller, 15, Rose Bowl Aquatic 1:09:20
60. Sophie Weinstein, 14, Sandpipers of Nevada 1:09:29
61. Melissa Ramos, 16 1:02:30
62. Grace Weeks, 15, St Andrew’s Aquatics 1:09:37
63. Elizabeth Christie, 15, Bolles School Sharks 1:09:38
64. Penelope Chao, 13, North Carolina Aquatic Club 1:09:51
65. Benham Marceau, 16, Corvalis Aquatic Team 1:10:26
66. Pepper Gunn, 15, Nitro Swimming 1:10:40
67. Lila Dropic, 14, Northern Kentucky Clippers Swimming 1:10:48
68. GG Sitter, 15, Nitro Swimming1:11:02
69. Lexi Cronin, 14, The Spartans of La Canada 1:11:15
70. Kate Brinton, 15, CSP Tideriders 1:11:21
71. Emma Korn, 15, Aquatic Team of Mecklenburg 1:11:28
72. Hailey Walker, 16, Sandpipers of Nevada 1:11:51 1:11:36
73. Sienna Magro, 16, Rockville Montgomery Swim Club 1:11:51
74. Ashley Walker, 16, Sandpipers of Nevada 1:11:51
75. Clara Penny, 15, Portland Aquatic Club 1:11:56
76. Ava Remme, 15, Iowa Flyers Swim Club 1:12:01
77. Julia Pieniadz, 16, T2 Aquatics 1:12:01
78. Allie Duty, 15, Sarasota Sharks 1:12:03
79. Sophia Ma, 15, Shawmut Aquatic Club 1:12:08
80. Liana Marek, 15, Surge Aquatics 1:12:!5
81. Brooke Franks, 15, Nitro Swimming 1:13:23
82. Nora Francis, 15, NOVA of Virginia Aquatics 1:13:34
83. Cameryn Cavazos, 16, Surge Aquatics 1:13:35
84. Milly Birch, 15, Asphalt Green Unified Aquatics DNS
85. Decker Stedman, 16, Dynamo Swim Club DNS
86. Nora Kellstrom, 14, Dunland Swim Club DNS

The remaining races will be live-streamed on the USA Swimming Network. Watch for free here with Mike Lewis as the race announcer.

© 2026 Daily News of Open Water Swimming

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