Hali Flickinger won the 200 fly on Saturday at the 2019 FINA Champions Series in Indianapolis with a 2:06.40, which is the fastest time of 2019. It is the fastest Flickinger has ever been in-season as she said she had never even broken 2:08 in-season before 2019. She is just ahead of Katinka Hosszu in the world rankings for 2019 as the Hungarian was a 2:06.62 at the FINA Champions Series in Budapest.
Flickinger said she was beyond impressed with what FINA did with the meet, saying it was a great stepping stone for the sport. She went on about how she loved getting the chance to race Hosszu because she felt like she raced the same people at all the Pro Swim Series meets and she wouldn’t be as prepared when she stepped up at the Olympics or World Championships.
Flickinger said she really hopes FINA keeps doing the Champions Series and that there is a lot to come in the future. Flickinger, 24, is the best 200 butterflyer in the world currently and is showing no signs of slowing down after her breakout swim last summer at the US Nationals when she swam her first 2:05.