ATLANTA – Louisville’s Kelsi Worrell turned in a ridiculously fast time in prelims this morning at the ACC Women’s Championships.
Worrell lit up the pool with a jaw-dropping 50.38. She split the race 23.68, 26.70.
That vaulted Worrell from ninth all time to third in the event’s history with a chance at making history tonight.
No one has been able to touch Natalie Coughlin’s NCAA and American record of 50.01 set back in 2002 at the NCAA Championships for California, but Worrell might just have a chance tonight.
Worrell’s previous best time was a 50.91 from the 2014 U.S. Winter Nationals, as she flew right by Beryl Gastaldello’s sterling time of 50.87 used to win SECs last night.
Incidentally, Worrell also smashed the ACC meet and conference record of 51.78 set by Heather Savage in 2013.
All Time 100 Fly
[table “” not found /]In other action, Louisville’s Tanja Kylliainen topped the women’s 400-yard IM prelims with a 4:09.29, while Virginia’s Leah Smith paced qualifying in the women’s 200-yard free with a 1:44.63.
Virginia’s Courtney Bartholomew put up an easy speed time of 51.21 in the 100-yard back prelims, while Notre Dame’s Emma Reaney definitely swam angry after a DQ cost her in the 200-yard IM finale last night. Reaney put up a time of 58.87 to lead the way in the 100-yard breast.
Natalie’s 50.01 has stood test of time for nearly a decade and-a-half but Kelsi and A&M’s Beryl Gastaldelo (a French import) are knocking on door awfully hard.
We shall see if this is the year of the “49.”
And if Simone Manuel opts for this race @. Pac-12s next week rather than 200 free/100 back she cold do it too.
That’s like 4 sec faster than my best 100 free time wow!!!!
Wow