Kelsi Worrell Goes Lifetime Best in 100 Meter Fly in Session 1 of Winter Nats Long Course Time Trial

One of the biggest question marks for the American women going toward the 2016 Olympics is what will become of their butterfly group, both in the 100 and the 200, but especially on their medley relay. With World Record holder and defending Olympic gold medalist Dana Vollmer being currently pregnant with her first child, it’s still not clear if she’ll decide to return to competitive swimming in time for Rio.

Over the weekend, at the U.S. Winter National Championships, Louisville’s Kelsi Worrell showed that she was in top-form in the 100 yard fly, and on Sunday, she continued that success with a new lifetime best of 58.44 at the post-Winter-Nationals long course time trial hosted by USA Swimming in Greensboro.

Her previous best time was a 59.18 from Summer Nationals in August. Over the last 12 months, this makes Worrell the 4th-fastest American in the event behind only:

1. Kendyl Stewart, 57.82
2. Claire Donahue, 58.03
3. Felicia Lee, 58.14

Hannah Saiz was second-fastest in that time trial with a lifetime best of her own in 1:00.77.

After an hour’s break, the second session of the long course time trials will begin. Other noteworthy swims from the first session include:

• Louisville’s Abby Chin adding a 4th Olympic Trials cut with a 4:53.26 in the 400 IM. She hasn’t been a lfietime best in that event in long course since 2011 when she was 17.
• Two swimmers broke 1:10 in the women’s 100 breast time trial: Louisville’s Andrea Cottrell, who went 1:09.60, and Livonia’s Miranda Tucker, who went 1:09.80. Tucker’s previous best was 1:10.4.
• Triple Youth Olympics medalist Carlos Claverie was a 1:02.36 to top the men’s 100 breaststroke – about eight-tenths from his Venezuelan Record in the event. Western Kentucky standout Fabian Schwingenshlogl took 2nd in 1:02.71.
• Western Kentucky’s Nadine Laemmler swam a 1:02.57 to win the women’s 100 back. That’s the German sophomore’s lifetime best by almost a second.
• Indiana’s Anze Tavcar swam a 50.40 in the men’s 100 free. He’s been under 50, and will one day likely challenge Peter Mankoc’s Slovenian Record in the event.