For Alex Shackell, a junior nationals might seem inconsequential when her goal is medals at the upcoming Paris Olympics.

But if a rising tide lifts all boats, the tidal wave that is Alex Shackell continues to lift Carmel Swim Club.

For a third straight year, Shackell led Carmel to the combined team title in the East junior nationals, which closed a four-day run Saturday night at Columbus, Ohio.

The Carmel High School junior, a California commit, finished first in seven events and featured times that bettered high school state records in six.

The exclamation point came in an eighth event, the 200-yard butterfly (not included at state). Her time of 1:50.15 smashed the national record for girls 17-18, made her fifth-fastest ever in the event and would have placed second at the 2023 NCAAs. And Shackell only recently turned 17.

Through 150 yards, her time of 1:20.05 was ahead of the 1:20.53 pace by Regan Smith, who lowered the American record to 1:48.33 on Oct. 20.

Carmel totaled 788 points to 687.5 for runner-up SwimMAC Carolina.

More: 24 Hoosiers to watch ahead of 2024 Paris Olympics (plus one)

In girls scoring, Carmel led 594-417. Carmel girls were so dominant, in fact, they bettered records in seven of the 11 events from Indiana’s state slate.

“You have to continue to create faster athletes and bring them to this meet and compete at a high level against the nation’s best,” Carmel coach Chris Plumb said. “It’s a real testament to the kids and the program, and the work they’re doing.”

In July, Shackell became the first Carmel swimmer to win a women’s world or Olympic medal, taking silver in the 800-meter freestyle relay at the World Championships. She will try to be the first from the Carmel girls program to make a U.S. Olympic team in June’s trials at Lucas Oil Stadium.

To that end, Plumb entered her in Thursday’s 500-yard freestyle rather than that night’s 200 individual medley or 50 freestyle, two races in which she was defending champion. Plumb reasoned that would better prepare Shackell for the hometown Olympic Trials.

“We want to give her every opportunity we can,” Plumb said.

In that 500 freestyle, Kayla Han (4:38.12), Lynsey Bowen (4:39.51) and Shackell (4:40.16) gave Carmel a 1-2-4 finish, all under Bowen’s high school state record.

Shackell began Wednesday in the 200 medley relay with a butterfly split of 21.95 — equaling the fastest ever by any swimmer. Later that night, in the 800 freestyle relay, she led Carmel to victory with a 1:42.28 leadoff — No. 5 of all time for girls 17-18 and faster than the 2023 NCAA champion.

In Friday’s 100 butterfly, Shackell’s 49.49 nearly set another national 17-18 record, missing Claire Curzan’s 49.24.

Not only did Shackell race at the World Championships, but so did three Carmel teammates at junior worlds: junior Bowen and sophomores Han and Molly Sweeney.

Sweeney was an East double champion in the 200 breaststroke in 2:07.49, No. 2 ever for girls 15-16, and 200 IM in 1:54.58.

Han, world junior gold medalist in the 800-meter freestyle, relocated to Indiana from California. She was a triple champion at East juniors: 500 freestyle, 400 individual medley (4:06.20) and 1,650 freestyle (16:00.74).

“She’s reinforced a lot of things that have built the program — showing up every day and doing the work,” Plumb said. “And willing to perform at big meets. She makes everyone in the group better.”

For Carmel’s boys, Greg Enoch won the 500 freestyle in 4:14.36 — a time that, if repeated at state, would break the national public school record of 4:14.68 held by Carmel’s Jake Mitchell. Enoch was second in the 400 IM in 3:44.80.

Enoch, a Louisville signee, was second at state in the 200 IM and 500 freestyle behind a couple of national record-setters, Zionsville’s Will Modglin and Carmel’s Aaron Shackell.

“Jake is one of his heroes,” Plumb said of Enoch. “They are on very similar paths. He’s been knocking on this door for a long time.”

Elsewhere, Luke Whitlock of Fishers Area Swimming Tigers won the 1,650 freestyle in 14:50.37, breaking his own Indiana 17-18 record. He was second (behind Enoch) in the 500 free in 4:15.76.  Julie Mishler, a Wawasee swimmer representing FAST, won the 50 free in 21.87.

Drew Kibler is 400 free champ at U.S. Open

Drew Kibler won the 400-meter freestyle in 3:47.58 at the U.S. Open, held the previous week at Greensboro, N.C.  Kibler, 23, who became Carmel’s first U.S. Olympic swimmer in 2021, is a three-time world medalist. He has relocated from Carmel to the Sun Devil Swimming Club in Tempe, Ariz.

Also at Greensboro, Kibler was second in the 200 free in 1:46.12 and fourth in the 100 free in 48.71. Indiana University’s Rafael Miroslaw, of Germany, won the 200 free in 1:45.92.

IU graduate Cody Miller, 31, winner of two medals at the 2016 Rio Olympics, was second in the 200 breaststroke in 2:09.84.

The 17-year-old Whitlock was third in the 1,500 freestyle in 15:08.09, breaking Indiana open and 17-18 records. The Florida signee was fifth in the 400 and 800 freestyles at junior worlds.

Contact IndyStar correspondent David Woods at dwoods1411@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter: @DavidWoods007.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Carmel girls swimmer Alex Shackell dominates at East junior nationals