2019 MINNESOTA INVITATIONAL
- Wed. Dec. 4 – Sun. Dec. 8, 2019
- Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center / University of Minnesota / Minneapolis, MN
- Wed. Timed finals 6 PM
- Thu.-Sat. Prelims 10 AM / Finals 6 PM / Diving 12 Noon
- Short course yards (SCY) format Wed.-Sat. (LCM format Sunday)
- Psych Sheets
- Live Stream (days 2-4)
- Live results
- Also on Meet Mobile. Search “Minnesota Invite 2019”
In a feat never done before, Abbey Weitzeil, Cal senior, has become the first woman ever under twenty-one seconds in the 50-yard freestyle. Clocking a time of 20.90 tonight to win the A-final at the 2019 Minnesota Invite, Weitzeil blew away the field with a stunning swim.
More importantly, she takes over a full tenth off of her old best, and the old American, NCAA, and U.S. Open records, which stood at 21.02. According to USA Swimming, she owns four of the top ten performances ever in this event. Further, she owns the top three performances of all time, and she is now a full quarter-second quicker than anyone has ever been (Erika Brown, the second-best performer ever, has been as fast as 21.15).
Race Video:
It was only last calendar year that we saw the first man under eighteen seconds in this event, and now we’ve seen the first woman under twenty-one. Funnily enough, this is also the same pool that Fred Bousquet dropped an 18.74 at the 2005 NCAA Championships to become the first man under nineteen seconds over a decade ago.
Weitzeil, who is tied with Simone Manuel for the best female relay split ever with a 20.45, could take that down this meet, too. Looking ahead to the 100 free, Manuel’s NCAA/American/U.S. Open record of 45.59 is a bit tougher, and Weitzeil is the #4 performer of all-time with a 46.29 from back in 2014.
TOP TEN PERFORMERS IN WOMEN’S 50 FREE HISTORY
| 1 | 20.90 | Abbey Weitzeil | USA | 2019 Minnesota Invite | 12/5/2019 | Minneapolis |
| 2 | 21.15 | Erika Brown | USA | 2019 SEC Champs | 2/20/2019 | Athens |
| 3 | 21.17 | Simone Manuel | USA | 2017 NCAA DI Womens | 3/16/2017 | Indianapolis |
| 4 | 21.19 | Anna Hopkin | GBR | 2019 Mizzou Invitational | 11/20/2019 | Columbia |
| 5 | 21.21 | Olivia Smoliga | USA | 2016 NCAA DI Womens | 3/17/2016 | Atlanta |
| 6 | 21.27 | Lara Jackson | USA | 2009 NCAA DI Women’s Championships | 3/19/2009 | College Station |
| 7 | 21.28 | Li Liz | CHN | 2018 Women’s B1G Championships | 2/15/2018 | Columbus |
| 8 | 21.32 | Farida Osman | EGY | 2016 WOMENS PAC-12 SWIMMING CH | 2/25/2016 | Federal Way |
| 8 | 21.34 | Arianna Vanderpool-Wallace | USA | 2011 SEC Championships | 2/17/2011 | Gainsville |
| 10 | 21.48 | Natalie Hall | USA | 2007 GA ConocoPhillips SCY Nats | 11/29/2007 | Atlanta |
TOP TEN PERFORMANCES IN WOMEN’S 50 FREE HISTORY
| 1 | 20.90 | Abbey Weitzeil | USA | 2019 Minnesota Invite | 12/5/2019 | Minneapolis |
| 2 | 21.02 | Abbey Weitzeil | USA | 2019 NCAA DI Women’s Swimming | 3/21/2019 | Austin |
| 3 | 21.12 | Abbey Weitzeil | USA | 2016 American Short Course Cha | 3/5/2016 | Austin |
| 4 | 21.15 | Erika Brown | USA | 2019 SEC Champs | 2/20/2019 | Athens |
| 5 | 21.16 | Abbey Weitzeil | USA | 2019 PAC-12 Women’s Champs | 2/28/2019 | Federal Way |
| 6 | 21.17 | Simone Manuel | USA | 2017 NCAA DI Womens | 3/16/2017 | Indianapolis |
| 7 | 21.18 | Simone Manuel | USA | 2018 NCAA DI Womens Swim | 3/15/2018 | Columbus |
| 8 | 21.19 | Anna Hopkin | GBR | 2019 Mizzou Invitational | 11/20/2019 | Columbia |
| 8 | 21.19 | Erika Brown | USA | 2019 UT Invite | 11/21/2019 | Knoxville |
| 10 | 21.20 | Simone Manuel | USA | 2018 PAC-12 WOMEN’S SWIMMING & | 2/22/2018 | Federal Way |
The fastest 50 yard free for both men and women were swum in the same pool same lane. Lane 4 at U of Minnesota has got some good JuJu.
Goosebumps
Abbey nailed her turn perfect today 🙂
Here is 21.1 from 4 years ago— missed that turn so bad or it would have been 20 then and she knew it
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5-dyNrCuhUA
Her underwater off the turn was terrific. That’s pretty new.
She is the most important part of USA 400 m freestyle relay team in the upcoming year which hopefully upset Aussie girls.
Comerford better be back at her best for it as well
Wow. She went 21.1 almost four years ago, and you can see from her reaction that she’s been thinking about sub 21 ever since. So happy for her
I am just thrilled for her.
Her 100 at NCAAs would’ve been under 46 easily if she hadn’t hurt her arm on the previous race finish, early Swimmer of the meet next favorite. 20.7/45.3?
Congrats Abbey! That was FAST! Does anyone have a video?