2022 U.S. WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TRIALS
- April 26-30, 2022
- Greensboro, NC
- Greensboro Aquatic Center
- LCM (50m)
- Start Times: Prelims – 9 am ET / Finals – 6 pm ET
- Worlds Qualifying Criteria
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Reported by Anne Lepesant.
WOMEN’S 200 METER INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY – FINALS
- World Record: 2:06.12 – Katinka Hosszu (2015)
- American Record: 2:06.15 – Ariana Kukors (2009)
- US Open Record 2:08.32 – Kathleen Baker (2018)
- Jr World Record: 2:09.98 – Rikako Ikee (2017)
- FINA “A” cut: 2:12.98
- SwimSwam Preview: W200 IM
Podium:
- Alex Walsh, Virginia – 2:07.84
- Leah Hayes, Fox Valley Park – 2:09.99
- Beata Nelson, Wisconsin Aquatics – 2:11.80
- Mackenzie Looze, Indiana University – 2:13.28
- Isabelle Odgers, Unattached – 2:15.33
- Sara Stotler, Tennessee – 2:15.40
- Abby Hay, University of Louisville – 2:16.30
- Teagan O’Dell, Irvine Novaquatics – 2:17.62
The women’s 200 IM final was full of plot twists and intrigue. Beata Nelson set the pace on the butterfly leg, turning at 27.34 and leading Alex Walsh by three-tenths headed into the backstroke. Walsh outsplit the field over the middle 100 meters, with a 32.6 back and 36.8 breast. She came home with the fastest freestyle, too, a 30.76. Walsh’s final time of 2:07.84 took a half-second off the U.S. Open Record, that Kathleen Baker set in 2018.
In the battle for second place behind Walsh, Leah Hayes moved from third at the 50 wall to second at the 100 after outsplitting Nelson by a second, 33.0 to 34.0, on the backstroke. She was 1.6 seconds faster on the breaststroke. Hayes held on over the final 50 meters and finished in second place with 2:09.99, becoming the first 15-16 girl in U.S. history to break the 2:10 barrier. In her post-race interview, the new National Age Group Record-holder spoke of “an overwhelming feeling of joy” at having made her first World Championship team.
Walsh and Hayes now lead the world rankings in the 200 IM for the current season.
Alex Walsh should seriously consider training for the women’s 400 meter individual medley in anticipation of the 2023 FINA World Aquatics Championships.
I disagree… I think the LCM 400 IM is more of a distance event and she is a solid middle distance swimmer. Not saying she wouldn’t be great but maybe not great enough to make the team.
I definitely expect to see her take down a Hosszu record or two
Alex seems to keep it honest and real. Gretchen’s time will come:)