BOSTON, Mass. -- Harper Stevenson wrapped up the 2018 Long Course Age Group Championships in style on July 22 at Harvard.

 

"This is only Harper's second meet of this caliber and she did a truly awesome job,” Purple Valley Aquatics coach Dave Dow said. “She took on each day, race by race, and conquered what was before her one moment at a time. She swam to all best times and it is so great to see what she has accomplished this year.”

 

To 2018 LCM Age Group Championship Meet on Thursday, July 19, Stevenson blasted through her previous times in the 200 meter butterfly, 100 breaststroke, 50 breaststroke, and 400 meter individual medley. She started off prelims on Thursday with the 200 butterfly, where she dropped 2.65 seconds and qualified for finals in the evening. She then swam the 100 breaststroke and dropped 1.22 seconds tying for 16th place. In a swim-off for finals, she out touched her competition by a hair and prepared to come back that evening in the 100 breaststroke as well as the 200 butterfly. 

 

Thursday evening, Stevens prepared for finals, where she would swim the 200 meter butterfly and 100 breaststroke again. Taking seventh place overall in the 200 butterfly, she dropped.another 3.09 seconds during her finals swim giving her an overall best time by 5.74 seconds. A quick rest and she was up again for finals in the 100 breaststroke. Stevenson bested her prelims time by an amazing 3 seconds giving her an overall finish of 10th place. 

 

Rounding out Day 2 on Friday, Stevenson took on the 50 breaststroke and dropped 1.39 seconds. She then went on to swim the 400 IM, where she placed seventh and dropped 4.30 seconds off her previous best time. 

 

After attacking and topping past best times in the 200 butterfly, 100 breaststroke, 50 breaststroke, and the 400 IM on Thursday and Friday, Harper went on to drop more than 3 seconds in her 200 breaststroke, placing 10th in finals on Saturday. She also conquered her 100 meter butterfly with a time of 1:12.13, which brought her to a ninth place finish at finals. Wrapping out the day, Stevenson dropped a substantial amount of time in her 400 freestyle, bringing in a time of 5:05.40 and a 7th place finish. 

 

On Sunday, after a strong weekend, Harper swam to a personal best in her 50 butterfly, dropping more than 1.5 seconds, and wrapped up the day with a the 200 IM. 

 

Harper will get some much deserved time off before the PVA short course season begins on Monday, Sept. 10.