Missouri’s Hannah Stevens Now 2nd-Fastest U.S. 100 Backstroker of 2015

Missouri sophomore Hannah Stevens has announced her presence in the U.S. National scene with thunderous authority on Friday at the 2015 Columbia Sectionals meet at her home pool.

Stevens’ best time coming into the meet was a very good 1:01.65, and after dropping a second (1:00.66) in prelims, she moved all the way down to 1:00.04 in finals for a new lifetime best. The swim also ranks her 2nd in the country among all swimmers in 2015, behind only Kathleen Baker (59.86).

Top 5 Americans in 100m backstroke – 2015

1. Kathleen Baker, SwimMAC – 59.86
2. Hannah Stevens, Missouri – 1:00.04
3. Olivia Smoliga, Georgia – 1:00.08
4. Natalie Coughlin, Cal Aquatics – 1:00.08
5. Rachel Bootsma – Cal Aquatics – 1:00.27
6. Liz Pelton, Cal Aquatics – 1:00.31

Stevens’ time also would’ve earned her a silver medal at this week’s Pan American Games in Toronto. She’s now dropped almost two seconds from her best in the last month of racing, and that time gives her a very, very good chance at qualifying for the 2015-2016 USA Swimming National Team.

Stevens had a solid freshman season, placing 14th in the 100 back at the NCAA Championships, but nothing that was indicative of this breakthrough swim in long course.

After a sleepy first few nights in Columbia, things really woke up on Friday. Besides Stevens’ monumental effort, Michael Andrew won the A-Final of the men’s 100 meter breaststroke in 1:01.00. At only 16-years old, that’s a new National Age Group Record, and ties him as the second-fastest American 18 & under ever.

Read more about his record-setting swim here.

Andrew would win the 100 backstroke later in the session with a 55.82, which was a touch faster than the lifetime-best he swam in prelims (55.71).

Other Event Winners:

• Nebraska’s Katarina Sickle swam 4:19.51 to win the women’s 400 free at the session open, which is just shy of her personal best.
• The home team won a lot of races on Friday evening, including Nicholas Davis in the 400 free, who swam a 4:00.37. He’s already qualified for Nationals in three weeks, and swimming within two-and-a-half seconds of his best time as he begins taper is a good sign.
• Another Missouri win came from Katharine Ross in the women’s 100 breaststroke with a 1:08.29, which is exactly one second faster than her previous best time. Her teammate Abby Duncan took 2nd in 1:09.24 (also a lifetime best). Like Stevens, both were B-Finalists at the NCAA Championships in this event, and both have carried short course improvements into the long course season.
• Taylor Pike, a 15-year old from Arkansas, swam a 2:14.13 in the 200 fly. She’ll remain 15 through Junior Nationals and Nationals in July, and is already the Arkansas State Record holder in this event for 15-18’s about six-tenths faster than this swim.
• Mack Darragh won the men’s 200 fly in 2:02.10, leading a Missouri Tiger 1-2-3-4 finish in the event.

Full meet results available on Meet Mobile under “2015 Region VIII Summer Sectionals”.