Natalie Hinds Roars Back: 21.91 50 Free At GA Senior State Champs

2018 Georgia Senior State Championships

• When: December 7 – December 9, 2018
• Where: Atlanta, GA (Georgia Tech)
• Finals Results
• Combined Team Scores | Individual High Point Scores

As East and West Junior Nationals produced big headlines in the world of U.S. competitive swimming this past weekend, several notable story lines were being quietly written in Atlanta, Georgia, at the 2018 Georgia Senior State Championships.  In a concerted effort not to bury the lead,

25-year-old Florida Gator alum Natalie Hinds, staging a comeback as a part of the Athens Bulldog Swim Club (that is NOT a misprint), put on a sprint clinic for her senior counterparts. Until recently, she was serving as an assistant coach for the Metro Atlantic Aquatic Club.

Hinds claimed state titles in the 100 fly, 100 back, 50 free, and 100 free.  Her narrowest margin of victory was 1.6 seconds, and that was in the 50 free.  She posted a new personal best in the 100 back (52.78), and was scary-close to her personal bests in her remaining events.  Here is a list of comparisons:

Her 50 free was her 3rd fastest performance ever, her 100 free was her 5th fastest, and her 100 fly ties her 2nd fastest performance according to USA Swimming’s database.  Hinds’ accolades are particularly impressive considering she shared the pool with several SEC standouts, including Micah (Lawrence) Sumrall (Auburn), Amanda Weir (UGA and later Southern Cal), and Michael Arnold (UGA).

Sumrall, fresh off her Pan Pacs gold in the 200m breast, notched a new personal best of her own in the 200y free (1:51.65, 3rd).  Individually, she took home the title in the 100 breast (1:00.37), and swam prelims only in the 200 breast (2:15.29), 500 free (5:04.68), 100 free (51.60), and 200 IM (2:03.14).  Weir took home titles in the 500 free (4:52.70) and 200 IM (2:02.70, but 2:01.93 in prelims), and was runner-up in the 100 fly (55.45, but 54.43 in prelims).  She swam prelims only in the 100 back (56.71).

The women’s individual high point winner was 15-year-old Lily Burke from Swim Atlanta.  She claimed individual titles in the 100 IM (56.93), 200 free (1:49.48), 400 IM (4:20.29), and 200 breast (2:20.42).  She also competed in the 50 free (24.12, 11th), 100 back (57.17, 11th), 100 free (51.71, 5th), and 200 IM (2:04.85, 2nd).

On the men’s side, the biggest story line was probably Alabama commit Liam Bell.  Bell took down the Georgia state records in the men’s 17-18 100y (53.31) and 200y breaststroke (1:57.30).  The previous records were held by current Michigan freshman Mason Hunter (54.28) and Stanford sophomore Brennan Pastorek (1:57.63).  Bell also won the 100 free (44.18) and nabbed 2nd in the 50 free (20.29).  Had he made it into the finals of the 200 IM, he would’ve claimed his fourth title by almost 4 seconds (1:48.85, 11th).  He also competed in the 200 free (1:39.73, 11th) and 100 back (50.62, 5th).  Bell achieved new personal bests in all 7 events, indicating a big boon for the Crimson Tide roster next Fall.

The men’s individual high point winner was 18-year-old Ananda Lim from the Marietta Marlins.  Lim, who trains under his father, Yit Aun Lim, has recently returned from training in Malaysia.  He is set to join the Georgia Bulldogs this Spring semester as a freshman.  Lim won the 100 IM (51. 26), 200 free (1:39.06), and 100 fly (49.17).  He also scored in the 200 fly (1:50.01, 2nd), 50 free (20.95, 3rd), 100 back (50.31, 3rd), 200 back (1:55.36, 9th), 100 free (46.18, 3rd), and 200 IM (1:55.37, 5th).  Lim’s times in the 100y and 200y fly were new personal bests.

28-year-old Michael Arnold won the 50 free (20.04) and placed second in the 100 free (44.48).  He has bests of 19.49 and 43.26, respectively, from the 2012 NCAA Championships.