WATCH: Abbey Weitzeil Becomes First Woman Under 21 Seconds in 50-Yard Freestyle

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

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Coach Joe
4 years ago

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.

Amunnn
4 years ago

Goosebumps

RolyPoly
4 years ago

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

Ol' Longhorn
Reply to  RolyPoly
4 years ago

Her underwater off the turn was terrific. That’s pretty new.

Shibly
4 years ago

She is the most important part of USA 400 m freestyle relay team in the upcoming year which hopefully upset Aussie girls.

ERVINFORTHEWIN
Reply to  Shibly
4 years ago

Comerford better be back at her best for it as well

DMacNCheez
4 years ago

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

ALEXANDER POP-OFF
4 years ago

I am just thrilled for her.

Ragnar
4 years ago

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?

Lane 8
4 years ago

Congrats Abbey! That was FAST! Does anyone have a video?

About Karl Ortegon

Karl Ortegon

Karl Ortegon studied sociology at Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT, graduating in May of 2018. He began swimming on a club team in first grade and swam four years for Wesleyan.

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