17-Year-Old Bella Sims Goes Fastest 200 Yard Free By Any Age Since 2019 – 1:40.78

SPEEDO WINTER JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS – WEST

• December 7-10, 2022
• Lee & Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center, Austin, Texas
• Short Course Yards (25 yards), Prelims/Finals
• Prelims @10:00AM ET, Finals at 6:00 PM ET (except for day 1 timed finals)
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17-year-old Bella Sims blasted a 1:40.78 to lead off the Sandpipers’ record-breaking 800 freestyle relay tonight. She shaved off almost three seconds from her previous best time, which was set exactly a year ago at this same meet.

Splits:

Her time is the fastest performance in the event since the 2019 NCAA Championships, when Mallory Comerford won with the A-final with a time of 1:40.26. Sims is also now 8th-fastest individual in the event, while her time is tied for the 15th-fastest performance ever.

Sims narrowly missed Missy Franklin‘s 17-18 National Age Group Record of 1:40.31. She turns 18 in May, meaning she still has over a year to potentially get under that record. She is also nearly a second faster than Katie Ledecky was at the same age (1:41.55).

All-Time Top 10 Individuals:

1. Missy Franklin – 1:39.10 (2015)
2. Mallory Comerford – 1:39.80 (2018)
3. Katie Ledecky – 1:40.36 (2017)
4. Simone Manuel – 1:40.37 (2017)
5. Taylor Ruck – 1:40.37 (2019)
6. Allison Schmitt – 1:40.62 (2015)
7. Siobhan Haughey – 1:40.69 (2018)
8. Bella Sims – 1:40.78 (2022)
9. Megan Romano – 1:41.21 (2012)
10. Isabel Ivey – 1:41.35 (2022)

Of the top 10 performers, Schmitt and Ledecky are both Olympic gold medalists in the LCM version of the event. Seven in total, including Sims, are Olympic medalists in either a relay or individual event as well.

Sims has a busy schedule remaining in Austin this week. She will get another shot at the 200 free on Friday when she competes in the individual event.