Kathleen Baker Breaks Elizabeth Pelton’s 200 Back American Record

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

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It hasn’t been the best week for Cal junior Kathleen Baker. Last year she won three individual NCAA titles. This year, she had yet to win an individual title. What is the best way to exorcise those demons and end the frustration?

An American Record.

Baker and many others had knocked on the door of that 200 back record for many years. Elizabeth Pelton originally set the record at the 2013 NCAA’s at 1:47.84.

Baker finally broke through and swam a 1:47.30 in the event, moving from third to first all-time.

Baker swam away from Kentucky’s Asia Seidt (1:49.24) and Wisconsin’s Beata Nelson (1:49.27) who finished second and third.

Seidt and Nelson moved up to sixth and seventh all-time in the event.

Texas A&M’s Lisa Bratton (1:50.74), Michigan’s Clara Smiddy (1:50.80), Kentucky’s Ali Galyer (1:51.15), Georgia’s Kylie Stewart (1:51.75) and Stanford’s Janet Hu (1:52.76) also swam in the championship final.

 Event 16  Women 200 Yard Backstroke
=========================================================================
         NCAA: N 1:47.84  3/21/2013 Elizabeth Pelton, California
     American: A 1:47.84  3/21/2013 Elizabeth Pelton, California
    U.S. Open: O 1:47.84  3/21/2013 Elizabeth Pelton, California
         Meet: C 1:47.84  3/21/2013 Elizabeth Pelton, California
         Pool: P 1:49.33  3/17/2018 Beata Nelson, Wisconsin-WI
                 1:50.99  AUTO NCAA A Standard
                 1:59.19  CONS NCAA B Standard
    Name           Year School            Prelims     Finals       Points 
=========================================================================
                            === A - Final ===                            
 
  1 Kathleen Baker   JR California        1:49.57    1:47.30N        20  
    r:+0.63  25.17        52.31 (27.14)
        1:19.47 (27.16)     1:47.30 (27.83)
  2 Asia Seidt       SO Kentucky          1:49.64    1:49.24P        17  
    r:+0.65  25.90        53.68 (27.78)
        1:21.56 (27.88)     1:49.24 (27.68)
  3 Beata Nelson     SO Wisconsin         1:49.33    1:49.27P        16  
    r:+0.67  25.56        53.20 (27.64)
        1:21.13 (27.93)     1:49.27 (28.14)
  4 Lisa Bratton     SR Texas A&M         1:51.18    1:50.74         15  
    r:+0.73  26.50        54.42 (27.92)
        1:22.55 (28.13)     1:50.74 (28.19)
  5 Clara Smiddy     SR Michigan          1:50.82    1:50.80         14  
    r:+0.62  26.20        53.98 (27.78)
        1:22.31 (28.33)     1:50.80 (28.49)
  6 Ali Galyer       SO Kentucky          1:50.16    1:51.15         13  
    r:+0.63  26.16        54.07 (27.91)
        1:22.54 (28.47)     1:51.15 (28.61)
  7 Kylie Stewart    SR Georgia           1:51.07    1:51.75         12  
    r:+0.65  26.18        54.36 (28.18)
        1:23.18 (28.82)     1:51.75 (28.57)
  8 Janet Hu         SR Stanford          1:50.13    1:52.76         11  
    r:+0.56  26.06        54.59 (28.53)
        1:23.53 (28.94)     1:52.76 (29.23)

     Women - Team Rankings - Through Event 16                 
 
  1. Stanford                          489   2. California                        288
  3. Texas A&M                         201   4. Michigan                          185
  5. Texas                           175.5   6. Louisville                        168
  7. Tennessee                       139.5   8. Minnesota                         134
  9. Indiana                           133  10. Virginia                          113
 11. Georgia                            94  12. Ohio St                            93
 13. Southern Cal                       83  14. Wisconsin                          78
 15. Kentucky                           76  16. Missouri                           72
 17. NC State                           68  18. Auburn                           58.5
 19. Arizona                            46  20. South Carolina                     44
 21. Purdue                             36  22. University of Nevada               33
 23. Arkansas                           30  24. Arizona St                         27
 25. Penn St                            26  26. UNC                                25
 27. Northwestern                       20  27. Denver                             20
 29. Hawaii                           16.5  30. Alabama                            15
 30. Eastern Mich                       15  30. UCLA                               15
 33. Miami University                   14  34. Florida                            11
 34. Virginia Tech                      11  36. Louisiana State University          8
 37. Rutgers                             6  38. Florida St                          3
 39. Duke                                2  39. University of Miami                 2

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