American Record Book Getting Overhaul: King, Banic, Fink All Set Marks
The American record book will be in need of exhaustive editing following what transpired at the International Swimming League Grand Final at the Duna Arena in Budapest. Standards seemingly flew from all angles and strokes, including marks from Lilly King, Madeline Banic and Nic Fink on Sunday afternoon.
In the women’s 100 breaststroke, King just missed the world record when she touched the wall in 1:02.50, off the 1:02.36 global mark shared by Lithuania’s Ruta Meilutyte and Jamaica’s Alia Atkinson. Yet, she had no difficulty going under Katie Meili’s American record from 2016, a 1:02.92 performance. King won the race by nearly a second, with Atkinson going 1:03.56 for second, .01 ahead of Molly Hannis.
Racing for Energy Standard, Banic finished second to teammate Sarah Sjostrom (24.73) in the 50 butterfly, but her time of 24.80 was enough for an American record. Banic broke the previous American mark of 24.93, set in 2018 by Kelsi Dahlia. Banic has been a valuable contributor for Energy Standard throughout the season, flourishing in the fly events.
Another American record went down courtesy of Fink, who has clearly recovered from a wrist injury that plagued him during the early weeks of the ISL season. Fink was 56.16 in the 100 breaststroke, good for third place in a race that saw Great Britain’s Adam Peaty take down the world record with a mark of 55.41. Fink’s time was better than the prior American record of 56.29, set last year by Ian Finnerty.