Former 100 fly World Record holder, and 2012 Olympic gold medalist, Dana Vollmer was in the best form of her comeback so far on Thursday morning at the Arena Pro Swim Series stop in Minneapolis.
The 27-year old swam a 58.22 to qualify 2nd in the long course race, behind only defending NCAA and Pan Am champion Kelsi Worrell (58.03).
It wasn’t just a fast time, though, that indicated that Vollmer has fully recovered form after an extended absence from the pool to give birth to her first child. The fast time was somewhat expected after she swam a 58.7 in practice last weekend in the run-up to this meet.
It was a first 50 split that was a throwback to pre-break Vollmer, who was the world’s most aggressive front-half swimmer in 2011 and 2012.
Vollmer’s splits for the race were 25.84 and 32.38. That split on the first 50 meters was almost a second-and-a-half faster than anybody else. She paid for it on the second 50 with a split that was over a second slower than anybody else in the A-final, but the overall time came out with a time that ranks her 4th in the world so far in the post-Worlds season.
Comparing Vollmer’s swim to other noteworthy front-half splits on 100 fly swims (finishing time in parenthesis):
- Dana Vollmer, 2015 Arena Pro Swim – Minneapolis, 25.84 (58.22)
- Dana Vollmer, 2015 U.S. Nationals 4th Place, 27.71 (58.94)
- Sarah Sjostrom, 2015 Worlds Final WR, 26.17 (55.64)
- Sarah Sjostrom, 2015 Worlds Semis WR, 26.46 (55.74)
- Dana Vollmer, 2012 Summer Olympics WR, 26.39 (55.98) – First Swimmer under 56
- Dana Vollmer, 2012 Summer Olympics Prelims OR, 26.28 (56.25)
- Inge de Bruijn, 2000 Summer Olympics WR, 26.67 (56.61)
- Dana Vollmer, 2012 US Olympic Trials, 26.31 (56.50)
What we did learn about Vollmer as the 2012 Olympic games wore on was that when she backed off ever-so-slightly on the front-half of her 100 fly, her final time seemed to improve. That’s the strategy to watch for in finals – whether or not she goes out easier and still wins.
According to USA Swimming Records, that 25.84 split is just .04 seconds behind Vollmer’s personal best in the event, and faster than all but three Americans in history have gone on a straight 50 fly (Vollmer herself 25.80, Kelsi Worrell 25.65, Dara Torres 25.50).
Vollmer looks like she will medal in Rio. There is no substitute for raw speed, and she has plenty of time to work on her back half. Great to see her swimming so well at this point in her comeback.
I think it will be between Sarah sjostrom, jeanette ottesen and chen xinyi in rio.
Exciting development. I’d be surprised if Vollmer can fully close the gap, but I’d love to be proven wrong. I predict sjostrom and vollmer go 1-2 in some order next year unless Worrell takes it to the next level (certainly possible given her improvement curve).
Go Dana! Go Bears!
ALL the Cal Gals are excelling today!
Wonderful comeback swim! Actually, it was her back-half that distinguished her during her champion reign (though now Sjostrom is now certainly the best back-halfer in the world). Seemed like Vollmer was testing her speed. Second 50 (esp last 25) was slower but she didn’t fall apart, kept her rhythm. Looks like she wants to recoup her spot in the finals for that medley relay :).