arena Swim of the Week: Rylee Erisman Becomes Fastest 15-Year-Old American Ever In 100 Free

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Disclaimer: Swim of the Week is not meant to be a conclusive selection of the best overall swim of the week, but rather one Featured Swim to be explored in deeper detail. The Swim of the Week is an opportunity to take a closer look at the context of one of the many fast swims this week, perhaps a swim that slipped through the cracks as others grabbed the headlines, or a race we didn’t get to examine as closely in the flood of weekly meets.

Rylee Erisman entered rarefied air on Friday morning at the Speedo Sectionals in Ocala, becoming the fastest 15-year-old American female ever in the 100 freestyle and cracking the top 10 globally all-time.

Erisman blasted a time of 54.34, overtaking Gretchen Walsh (54.38) as the fastest U.S. 15-year-old girl in the event.

The performance marked a monstrous best time for Erisman, who had gone a PB of 55.09 just two months ago at the NCSA Spring Championships.

Split Comparison

The most incredible thing about Erisman’s swim on Friday is that she only turned 15 recently—her previous best from NCSAs was done when she was still 14, as it moved her into #3 all-time in the girls’ 13-14 age group behind only Missy Franklin (54.03) and Lia Neal (55.00).

In addition to taking hold of the distinction as America’s fastest-ever 15-year-old, Erisman also sits 7th globally in the event historically, according to USA Swimming’s database.

All-Time Performers, 15-Year-Old Girls 100 Freestyle (LCM)

1. Cate Campbell (AUS), 53.30 – 2008 Santa Clara Pro Swim
2. Penny Oleksiak (CAN), 53.31 – 2016 Canadian Olympic Trials
3. Taylor Ruck (CAN), 53.92 – 2015 World Junior Championships
4. Marrit Steenbergen (NED), 53.97 – 2015 European Games
5. Rikako Ikee (JPN), 53.99 – 2016 Kitajima Cup
6. Cheng Yujie (CHN), 54.03 – Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games
7. Rylee Erisman (USA), 54.34 – 2024 Ocala Sectionals
8. Li Zhesi (CHN), 54.35 – 2011 World Championships
9. Yolane Kukla (AUS), 54.37 – 2011 World Championships
10. Gretchen Walsh (USA), 54.38 – 2018 U.S. Summer Nationals

Erisman trains with Windermere Laker Aquatics (Laker Swim) under head coach Kyle Goller. She now finds herself ranked 7th in the girls’ 15-16 age group in the U.S. despite only recently aging up.

All-Time Rankings, U.S. Girls 15-16 100 Freestyle (LCM)

1. Claire Curzan, 53.55 – 2021 TAC Spring Invitational
2. Missy Franklin, 53.63 – 2011 Summer Nationals
3. Gretchen Walsh, 53.74 – 2019 World Junior Championships
4. Simone Manuel, 53.86 – 2013 Summer Nationals
5. Alex Shackell, 54.08 – 2023 Junior Nationals
6. Anna Moesch, 54.33 – 2022 YMCA Nationals
7. Rylee Erisman, 54.34 – 2024 Ocala Sectionals
8. Torri Huske, 54.52 – 2019 World Junior Championships
9. Erika Pelaez, 54.65 – 2022 Summer Nationals
10. Amy Tang, 54.71 – 2019 PNS Senior LC Championships

Erisman now ranks 7th among American swimmers in the 100 free in 2024, putting her in position to make the semis, and maybe even the final, at the U.S. Olympic Trials next month in Indianapolis.

She followed up her 100 free prelim on Friday by clocking 1:01.28 in the 100 back, with her PB standing at 1:00.58 from NCSAs.

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