2018 BULLDOG GRAND SLAM
- July 6th-8th, 2018
- Garbielsen Natatorium, Athens, Georgia
- Psych Sheet
- Meet Site
- Results on Meet Mobile “2018 Bulldog Grand Slam”
Veronica Burchill has swum yet another personal best time, in-season, marking the 5th different event in which she’s done so this long course season alone.
On Sunday morning at the Bulldog Grand Slam, Burchill qualified 1st in the 100 free in 54.80. That improved upon her previous lifetime best of 54.92, done at last year’s National Championship meet.
While most of the drops haven’t been huge (with the exception of the 400 free), the fact that she’s setting best times, sometimes more-than-once, in-season bodes well for the former National Junior Team swimmer and Junior National Champion.
| Previous PB | 2018 PB | |
| 50 free | 25.68 | 25.61 |
| 100 free | 54.92 | 54.80 |
| 200 free | 2:00.80 | 2:00.19 |
| 400 free | 4:23.88 | 4:17.49 |
| 100 fly | 59.28 | 59.25 |
The same could be said for Erika Brown, who has swum several lifetime bests already this weekend, though her 55.05 in prelims of the 100 free isn’t one of those. She was a 54.5 in June, but her Sunday morning swim is the second-best of her career.
Burchill and Brown are 2 of just 10 Americans who have been sub-55 already this season, with Burchill ranking 9th and Brown ranking 7th nationally. Last season, it only took 55.0 (Burchill, in fact) to make the A-Final at Nationals in the 100 free, with a 54.3 good for top 6 and a relay spot.
Other Top Qualifiers:
- Tennessee’s Alec Connolly qualified 1st in the men’s 100 free in 50.71, which is also a lifetime best for him. 6 of the top 7 qualifiers beat their seed time in prelims.
- Alex Walsh qualified 1st in the women’s 200 backstroke in 2:12.96.
- Joey Reilman was the top qualifier in the men’s 200 back in 2:02.09: three seconds faster than anyone else was in the morning. Also qualifying for the A-final is 15-year old Tim Connery from SwimMAC Carolina in 2:06.24 – his best time by more than 7 seconds.
- Meaghan Raab qualified 1st in the women’s 200 IM in 2:15.72. She didn’t swim this race at Nationals last year, even though her best time would have placed her 5th.
- Sam Stewart qualified 1st in the men’s 200 IM in 2:05.12.
Missy Franklin scratched out of the meet at her home pool? Doesn’t look good for nationals.
I think Nationals won’t suffer much. Be optimistic 😀
Maybe she decided she needs more rest to be on at nationals
If she is going to show up at Nationals she doesn’t need this meet. Everything she wanted to know about her form and her current competitive abilities she has learned in Mare Nostrum.
If she is not going to compete for the spot on National team then what this meet can possibly be good for.
It’s nice to see a swimmer progressing on all fronts. But looking at her most recent bests it is still not clear where she can make the National team.
She’ll need to hit a taper still to do it. But, she was 8th at Nationals last year in the 100 – jumping two spots is not a far cry (nor is tapering off half-a-second in the 100 free). I wouldn’t be surprised if she popped a 1:57 or 1:58 in the 200 free either, if we’re presuming that she’s doing all of these times in maximum training.
It will be great to have another Mallory Comerford like swimming phenomenon.
She was 59.01 on Friday night in the 100 fly.
And 1:59.7 200 Free prelims