5 Questions With a Trials Qualifier: Evan Mackesy
By: Rich House
Evan is from Derwood, MD, has been swimming since age 7 for Mill Creek Towne within the MCSL, and year-round with Rockville Montgomery Swim Club (RMSC), at their Olney location. He is a recent graduate of Magruder high school, where he had a terrific athletic and academic career, achieving PVS Scholar Athlete, USA Swimming Academic All American honors, as well as Washington Post All-Met since his Sophomore year. (Honorable Mention 21-22, 2nd Team 22-23, 1st Team 23-24) He will continue his studies (and swimming) at Purdue University in the Fall. Evan was recognized by the Washington Post in early January with a profile describing his resiliency in facing a birth defect and excelling in the pool. An excerpt from the profile:
“He fully bloomed last year. At the 2023 spring national club association championships in Orlando, he set personal bests in five heats. Mackesy’s junior season at Magruder was similarly successful. He was the Maryland Class 4A/3A state champion in the 200-yard individual medley and was the runner-up in the 500 freestyle. Now, in his final season before he heads to West Lafayette, Ind., Mackesy is trying to leave an imprint on Magruder.”
At 2024 Metros, he pulled off a difficult double to finish on the podium in both the 100 Butterfly (3rd) and 500 Free (2nd). In his final MPSSAA Championship meet, Evan switched to the 200 IM where he placed 3rd and the 500 Free where he captured the top spot in 4:29.04!
Shortly after the MPSSAA Championship meet, Evan traveled with RMSC to Orlando, Florida to compete in the NCSA Spring Championship. The meet provided the opportunity for swimmers to finish their short course season in prelims and switched to long course to go for Olympic Trial cuts in the finals. In the 2nd day of the meet, Evan swam the 400 IM and qualified in 6th position, posting his personal best time of 3:49.95, .5 faster than he swam in December. At finals, Evan see-sawed with the field, touching 6th at the 300, then brought it home fast enough to get under the Trials standard of 4:25.19, hitting the wall in 4th place, with a time of 4:25.10- he is a Trials qualifier!!!
You can watch Evan compete at Trials Sunday, June 16th for the 400 IM Prelims. Media coverage gets underway on Saturday, June 15, at 6:30 p.m. ET on USA Network. Qualifying heats will air live on Peacock with same day delayed coverage each day on USA Network.
We also saw that Mill Creek Towne will ‘send off’ Evan tomorrow night at the pool:
Here’s the Questions:
RFTW: Which is more fun- Summer League (MCSL) or Highschool meets…and why?
EM: I honestly love both in regard to the atmosphere and everything but MCSL will always have a special place in my heart over everything.
RFTW: What is your favorite hype song/band and favorite chill song/band?
EM: My favorite hype music changes a lot but I’ll always come back to the classics like Black Eyed Peas or Motley Crue to get myself going. To relax I listen to just about anything but mainly rock and rap music.
RFTW: What is your ‘go to’ meal before a meet?
EM: Go to meal has got to be a nice Chicken Alfredo with fettuccine. I could eat so much of that before a race (even if I shouldn’t) and it’s just delicious.
RFTW: What is the best advice you’ve received from a coach?
EM: I think the best advice I have ever gotten was that most people have to stop worrying so much about every single time and aspect and just have fun with the sport because it makes it so much more enjoyable.
RFTW: Who has inspired you in your career (list 2, a swimmer & non-swimmer)?
EM: My biggest inspiration in the sport was always my close friends, namely Toby Barnett, he always worked super hard and I always looked up to his speed and attitude towards the sport. Out of the pool is always been my dad. He always takes the time to tell me to have fun with what I do and it always means a lot to me.