MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota, November 11. A historic U.S. National Age Group took a tumble this evening on the last night of the USA Swimming Grand Prix in Minneapolis as Clearwater's Becca Mann, 14, turned in a record-breaking time in the 1650-yard free. Meanwhile, Olympic stars Ryan Lochte and Missy Franklin each doubled up.
Women's 1650 free
While Mission Viejo's Chloe Sutton dominated the event with a swift 15:49.41 for the win, the big story was Clearwater's Becca Mann, 14, shooting down a 31-year-old U.S. National Age Group record for 13-14 year olds with a second-place time of 15:54.46. That performance edged the legendary mark of 15:54.86 set by Tiffany Cohen way back in 1981. Mann shot up to 27th in the all-time rankings with the swim. As she progresses, she has some way to go to catch Katie Ledecky's stunning 15-16 age division record of 15:40.38 set earlier this year. Meanwhile, Minnesota's Ashley Steenvoorden placed third in 15:57.11.
@swimmingworld @flaswimnetwork Congrats Becca Mann on your new NAG record! Im glad my record went to a distance gal in Florida.
— Tiffany Cohen (@tiffany_cohen) November 12, 2012
Congrats to Becca Mann! She had an amazing record breaking swim and a phenomenal swim meet! #yougogirl
— Chloe Sutton (@csutswim) November 12, 2012
Women's 200 IM
ASK's Dagny Knutson put up a strong 1:59.41 to win the medley event, turning on the afterburners down the final stretch. Minnesota's Kierra Smith took second in 2:00.11, while Tori Simenec finished third in 2:02.13. Knutson has been much faster, with a blistering 1:53.82 from the 2009 North Dakota High School Championships that ranks her seventh, but she's definitely on the comeback trail after her battle with an eating disorder.
Men's 200 IM
Olympic star Ryan Lochte dusted the field in the event with a swift in-season effort of 1:45.62. He's the fastest swimmer ever in the event with a sterling 1:40.08 at the 2007 Short Course Nationals, but he hasn't swum many fully rested short course yard swims since. He won by nearly four seconds with Kyler Van Swol taking second in 1:49.24. Brandon Hatanaka claimed third in 1:50.75.
Women's 200 back
Five-time Olympic gold medalist Missy Franklin has been dropping lifetime bests in bunches this weekend, and tonight was no different as she blasted a 1:50.10 in the distance dorsal. That swim cleared her previously 10th-ranked 1:51.07 from 2010, and jumped her all the way to sixth in the rankings. Tess Behrens took second in the race with a 1:56.07, while Mickayla Hinkle of St. Croix Swim Club earned third in 1:58.79.
Men's 200 back
Ryan Lochte returned in the distance dorsal with a victorious time of 1:41.43 for his second title of the evening. That's another strong in-season time, considering his best ever is the best time in the event of 1:36.81 from the 2007 Short Course Nationals. Gator's Arkady Vyatchanin finished second in 1:44.06, while Carl Newenhouse touched third in 1:46.50.
Women's 100 free
For one of the few times this weekend, Colorado Stars' Missy Franklin missed a lifetime best. She still managed to blitz the field with a strong 48.31. Her personal record in the event is a 32nd-ranked 47.94 from 2010. Erin Caflisch finished second in the race with a 49.65, while Mission Viejo's Kate McLaughlin, 15, has been all over finals this weekend, this time with a third-place time of 49.77.
Men's 100 free
Longhorn's Garrett Weber-Gale stormed to the finish with a triumphant time of 43.59 as he dominated the finale in the sprint freestyle event. Hrvoje Capan touched second in the event with a 45.10, while Derek Toomey took a close third in 45.20. Weber-Gale, a 2008 Olympian, is on the comeback trail after missing the 2012 London Roster. He is best known for his two golds at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, as he was an integral part of helping Michael Phelps to his amazing eight golds that year with relay duty.
Men's 1650 free
Denmark's Mads Glaesner dominated the 1650 free with a 14:48.53, nearly lapping the entire field in the process. The time just missed his personal best of 14:47.54 set here at the Minnesota Grand Prix back in 2010. Mission Viejo's David Heron, who recently announced he will be attending the University of Tennessee, took second in 15:17.05. Clayton Smith earned third-place honors with a time of 15:24.71.
Complete results from finals will be available after the C and D finals are complete.