2018 SOUTHERN PREMIER MEET
- March 2nd-4th 2018
- Nashville Aquatic Club, Nashville, Tennessee
- 25y (SCY) course
- Live results
On Saturday, 15-year old Gretchen Walsh became the youngest swimmer ever to go sub-22 in the 50 yard free. On Sunday, she burst through another barrier when she swam a 47.93 to go sub-48, and become unofficially the fastest 15 & under in history in the event.
She’s not the youngest swimmer to ever go sub-48. That honor belongs to Missy Franklin, who swam 47.94 when she was just 14 in 2010 – she wouldn’t break through that barrier again until she was 17, as her focus turned largely to long course by then.
Walsh’s previous best time of 48.72 was done at December’s Winter Junior – East Championships. Before that meet, her best was a 49.48, which means that she’s now dropped a second-and-a-half over the last 3 months.
Her splits were 23.08/24.85, as compared to Winter Juniors East (when she was still 14) where she split 23.27/25.45 for a total 48.72. While she improved both laps of her 100, the bigger drop came on the 2nd 50.
After breaking Simone Manuel’s National Age Group Record in the 50 on Saturday, she’ll now have almost two years to chase another Manuel Record. The all-time fastest by a 15-16 is a 47.73 that Manuel swam in 2013.
Gretchen and Alex Walsh HAVE to go to the same college swim team. They drive each other to faster and way faster swims.
Maybe they’ll go pro and not swim NCAA’s
Can some nerd please figure out whether she or Caeleb Dressel will break 35 seconds first?
Line graphs optional.
Hoooooooooow though? Ridiculous.
Oh, of course. It’s been 3 whole months since she cracked :49 for the fist time. Time to break :48! WOW
Yea, those long plateaus are a real downer;)
I’m officially quitting swimming
I whisper, “you too.”
And her sister just went 2:06 200 Breast! I think she may be a better breaststroker now