Photo by Griffin Scott
COLLEGE STATION – Not far from where she trained at First Colony Swim Club as an age-group swimmer in the Houston area, Simone Manuel took down her own American record in the 100-yard freestyle tonight at the Art Adamson Invitational at Texas A&M University.
Flanked by Stanford teammates Lia Neal and Maddy Scahefer, Manuel posted an incredible 46.62 to beat her own American record of 46.75 from last March’s NASA junior nationals in March. Manuel was out slower than her American record pace of 22.43 at 50 yards, splitting 22.50, but came home in a blazing 24.12 to take the record even lower. Naturally, the time also becomes a new USA Swimming 17-18 national age group record.
She’s first Cardinal since Jenny Thompson nearly a quarter-century ago to accomplish this feat and maybe youngest since Tracy Caulkins did it as a 16-year-old during the 1979 AAUs @. East LA.
Caulkins swam a 49.03 100 leading off Nashville Aquatics’ 400 free relay which broke Sippy Woodhead’s AR 49.39 fro the 100 race itself. Neither swimmer ever went faster.
If Manuel’s going 46.6 in late November can a 45-plus be in the offing come Pac-12s/NCAAs, ESPECIALLY if a certain Olympic gold-medalist from across the Bay is ready to rumble in the 100 free come March?
Gee, wonder who that girl could b?