This morning, Simone Manuel broke the 15-16 NAG record in the 50 free with her time of 25.06. (You can read the article here) Tonight, Manuel was able to do it again, swimming .05 seconds faster for a time of 25.01. This morning she broke Missy Franklins 50 freestyle national age group record of 25.26. With this swim tonight in the 50 free at the 2013 World Championship Trials in Indianapolis, she earns her first individual swim in Barcelona. She will also be swimming the 4×100 relay as a member of the World Championship Team.
Manuel is just 16, and therefore not able to break the 17-18 national age group record, but she is only .01 seconds off of Kara Lynn Joyce’s 17-18 National Age Group record of 25.00 set back in 2004. Kara Lynn Joyce used to be Missy Franklin’s training partner.
Sixteen year-old, Manuel, swims for the First Colony Swim Team in Texas.
Is Simone in the class of 2014 or 2015? Great pick up, definetly top of the class.
Her and lia Neal are the future of American pure sprints (and Olivia smoliga if she could transfer her speed even more to long course)
USA looks for a great 50 free/100 free specialist since Jenny Thompson or Dara Torres! Simone Manuel is the girl to watch. She will be ready for Rio.
A lot can happen in three years, but she looks like a kid who enjoys racing and is having fun with the sport.
Simone Manuel is heralding a new era for women sprint in the USA after a long while.
The last true US female sprint star was Jenny Thompson, so it’s been 20 years between breakout swims.
Yes, Coughlin was very very fast in 100, but she’s not exactly a pure sprinter (she never broke 50/100 free WR)
Comparisons:
– Dara Torres broke 50 free (25.69) when she was only 15 yo!
– At 15, Cate Campbell swam 24.13 and 53.30 (both australian NAG records)
With Franklin in the 100, the future is bright for US w4x100 free. The last time US won w4x100 free was 2000 (Sydney) and 2003 (Barcelona).
I meant “Dara Torres broke 50 free WR…”
very impressive by Manuel. She could be that x-factor in the relays.