About 24 hours after being upset in the 50 free, Olympic gold medalist Simone Manuel returned in the 100 free on Saturday night at the TYR Pro Swim Series in Richmond with a 53.74 to take down Olivia Smoliga (54.65), who beat her in the 50 on Friday. Smoliga has had a great meet this week in Richmond and was just off her 54.21 best time. Both Manuel and Smoliga will be swimming at the World Championships this summer but Smoliga will not be in the free relay.
Margo Geer will be on the 4×100 free relay at Gwangju this summer and she was third tonight with a 55.19. Natalie Hinds, who is still rather early in her comeback to swimming, was fourth at 55.35, just off her 55.14 best time.
Former USC swimmers Kasia Wilk (55.46) and Anika Apostalon (56.12) were fifth and seventh while American superstar Katie Ledecky (55.69) was sixth. Isabella Arcila (56.50) also swam in the A-Final.
Manuel was a 53.42 in Knoxville earlier this year and is currently ranked sixth in the world rankings for 2019. She will enter the World Championships this summer as the reigning World Champion in the 100 free.
Results:
- Simone Manuel, USA, 53.74
- Olivia Smoliga, USA, 54.65
- Margo Geer, USA, 55.19
- Natalie Hinds, USA, 55.35
- Kasia Wilk, POL, 55.46
- Katie Ledecky, USA, 55.69
- Anika Apostalon, CZE, 56.12
- Isabella Arcila, COL, 56.50
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