18-Year-Old Lily King Swims 25.09 in the 50 Meter Free, Knocks a Tenth Off Her Lifetime Best

4th Annual Renee McCutchan Invitational

• May 10-11, 2025
• Peak Health Aquatic Center, Mylan Park, West Virginia
• Long Course Meters (50 meters), Timed Finals
• Results on Meet Mobile

US Junior National Team member Lily King (not to be confused with US Senior National Team member and Olympic gold medalist Lilly King) took another step forward last weekend at the 4th Annual Renee McCutchan Invitational with a new personal best in the 50 meter free.

The 18-year-old high school senior from Latrobe, Pennsylvania swam 25.09, which knocked a tenth off her previous lifetime best in the event. That previous best was done in a Time Trial at last summer’s Olympic Trials meet.

With about three weeks to go before the US National Championships and World Championship Trials, King is now the 7th-best American in the 50 meter free this season. Only 16-year-old Floridian Rylee Erisman has been faster among junior-aged swimmers.

2024-2025 U.S. Rankings, Women’s 50 LCM Free

1. Gretchen Walsh – 24.33
2. Torri Huske – 24.47
3. Kate Douglass – 24.62
4. (TIE) Julia Dennis/Simone Manuel – 24.79
6. Rylee Erisman – 24.91
7. Lily King – 25.09
8. Maxine Parker – 25.10

The swim ranks her as the 13th-best American ever in the 17-18 age group.

Her new best time would have made the semi-finals at last year’s Olympic Trials; there are no semi-finals at this year’s National Championship meet.

King, an NC State commit, also won the 200 meter free in 2:03.80. She trains with the Mount Pleasant Aquatic Club.

Other Meet Highlights:

• Virginia commit Molly Workman of the Nittany Lion Aquatic Club swam best times in the 100 free (56.85), 200 free (2:05.14), 100 fly (1:03.37), and 200 IM (2:25.14). The 100 free swim, one of her primary events, knocked about eight-tenths of a second off her previous lifetime best.