FEDERAL WAY – Abbey Weitzeil couldn’t have asked for a better conclusion to two weeks of racing, claiming her first American record in an individual event at the Speedo Winter Junior Nationals with a 46.29.
Race Video Courtesy USA Swimming
Swimming leadoff for Canyons Aquatic Club’s 400 free relay, Weitzeil took down Simone Manuel’s four-week-old record of 46.62 from the Art Adamson Invitational. The high school senior slashed more than a second off her lifetime best, which had been a 47.59 from last March’s American Short Course Championships.
Weitzeil turned at 22.29 at 50 yards, which is .21 faster than Manuel’s split in her American record swim. Weitzeil came home .12 faster than Manuel as well.
Weitzeil: 22.29/24.00 – 46.29
Manuel: 22.50/24.12 – 46.62
This has been a banner month for Weitzeil, who was part of a world record-setting 200 mixed freestyle relay at the short course world championships in Doha. Her anchor leg of 23.25 helped Team USA win the event and post a 1:28.57.
Weitzeil now turns her focus to the national high school record books, where she already owns the records in the 50 and 100 freestyles from this past May with times of 21.98 and 47.82.
She is coached by Coley Stickels who recently returned from the World Short Course Championships in Qatar last month as a one of the USA Swimming’s National Team Coaches. Stickels found a new home with the little-known Canyons Aquatic Club after resigning from the Phoenix Swim Club after a falling out with its board of directors.
Two other girls had great meets @. Juniors too, Roadrunner’s Stanzi Moseley (won sprint Triple Crown and blasted Lindsey McKnight’s 200 free standard w/a swift 1:44.55; and Scottsdale’s Taylor Ruck, a 14-year-old who won both backstrokes, was runner-up in both 100-200 frees, won consols of 400 IM (!!!) and I believe was also runner-up in the 500 free.
On Friday she tripled by winning the 100 back, scoring in the IM and taking runner-up in the 200.
That ain’t no easy feat and could even be considered “Phelpsian.”
I’d say she’s a “lock” for U.S. team to Rio but apparently she is not a U.S. swimmer as there was an asterisk besides her name in results and that usually denotes a foreign swimmer.
Bet she gives Ryan Hoffer some grief!
Proofreading, guys. :46.29 is over a second faster than :47.59. And to be fair to Canyons Aquatics, they produced a national champion in the 400 IM, Jennifer Parmenter and didn’t Anthony Ervin come out of that club?
And Bill: Ruck was 3rd in the 200 Free but WON the 500. While she developed in Arizona (holds multiple 10&Un freestyle state records) she is apparently Canadian. I think she is already in a good position for RIO for the Canadians. Her improvements reflect a remarkable meet, i.e. came in at 57+ and ended up at 52.95 in 100 Back.