Comerford Works Her Meters Gear: GMM presented by SwimOutlet.com

Gold Medal Minute presented by SwimOutlet.com

Mallory Comerford captured the world’s attention at 2017 NCAA Championships, running down Olympic superstar Katie Ledecky in the final of the 200 yard free. They, of course, tied in a 1:40.3.  At the Atlanta Pro Swim, Mallory’s 200 meter free wasn’t so sharp. She got 6th in 2:00.4, and she acknowledged she needs to find her meters gear.

According to her coach, Mallory was disappointed she did not make the 200m free final at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials, but she did make the semis, a big step forward in her career.   That type of mind-set surely fueled her 2017 NCAA Championship performance.  What does Mallory need to drop in the 200m free this summer to take another step forward in her career? Her confidence is high coming off of NCAAs.  How does she translate that into an international career?

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This is a Gold Medal Media production presented by SwimOutlet.com. Host Gold Medal Mel Stewart is a 3-time Olympic medalist and the co-founder of SwimSwam.com, a Swimming News website.

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marklewis
7 years ago

She says she’s till trying to figure out the best way to pace the 200 meter free. It takes a little more endurance than the 200 yard free, with all the extra turns.

She swam a fast final 50 at NCAAs. That usually is a good way to pace a 200 meter free as well.

If she can stay with KL in the Big Pool, she should make the World Team.

bobo gigi
7 years ago

And in that interview at Mesa GP last month she says she never trained long course before college!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UaDTuiO3Acw
She swims in college for 2 years so she’s really a baby in the big pool.
Let’s see how she develops. She has 3 years before Tokyo to reach her full potential.

Prickle
Reply to  bobo gigi
7 years ago

Mallory Comerford:
100 LCM ( 33 races during last three and a half years)
2014 – 57.57
2015 – 55.26
2016 – 54.46
2017 – 53.91

200 LCM (34 races in three and a half years)
2014 – 2:04.14
2015 – 2:00.49
2016 – 1:59.24
2017 – 1:59.60

There is nothing spectacular or promising are coming from this statistics.
Yes, she swam 1:40.3 at 200y, but it tells us almost nothing because it is just 180 m with plenty of turns and underwater. The only surprise in this race was Ledecky not going faster.
Mallory Comerford has to be compared to Simone Manuel but not to Ledecky in this… Read more »

TXSWIMDAD
Reply to  Prickle
7 years ago

What conclusion are you talking about?

Prickle
Reply to  TXSWIMDAD
7 years ago

After NCAA 200 free final race there is a strong opinion in the air that Americans got another strong 200 free swimmer. But close your eyes and imagine for a moment that there was no Ledecky in this race. Then what we have left? Two sprinters compete for the win where Comerford was a few tenth of second faster. Two months later they compete again but at 200 LCM race and Comerford is three seconds slower. Can we make any conclusion about American prospects at 200 FR LCM discipline from this two tapered and in season results. I wouldn’t make any. Neither for upcoming WC in two months nor for next OG in three years.
Mallory Comerford is trying… Read more »

bobo gigi
7 years ago

Of course I can understand the big dismay of some hardcore college swimming fans if the swimmer who tied with KL at NCAAs finishes 4 seconds behind at world trials. But first let’s see how she does tapered before talking too much. And even if she can’t go faster than 1.58 let’s not draw quickly too many conclusions.
Mallory Comerford doesn’t have a “meters problem” in the 100 free. She swam a fast 53.97 in March in Indianapolis. She can’t translate her SCY performances only in the 200 free so far. 200 free in yards and in the adults’ pool are such different events. It’s more a sprint event in yards and sprint-oriented swimmers can survive. Too early to… Read more »

Hswimmer
Reply to  bobo gigi
7 years ago

53.91**

Prickle
Reply to  bobo gigi
7 years ago

Megan Romano made 52.6 at last leg of 4×100 free relay in Barcelona. That won a gold medal to American team by beating Australian team that had two Campbell sisters. I wish Mallory Comerford was as good, then American free relay will have no problems in Budapest even not having Weitzeil at her best form.

Prickle
Reply to  Prickle
7 years ago
Bobthebuilderrocks
Reply to  Prickle
7 years ago

Weitzeil isn’t in bad shape, I saw her a few days ago.

Troy
Reply to  Prickle
7 years ago

Romano was always an amazing relay swimmer. Her relay times were a second or so from relay start

About Gold Medal Mel Stewart

Gold Medal Mel Stewart

MEL STEWART Jr., aka Gold Medal Mel, won three Olympic medals at the 1992 Olympic Games. Mel's best event was the 200 butterfly. He is a former World, American, and NCAA Record holder in the 200 butterfly. As a writer/producer and sports columnist, Mel has contributed to Yahoo Sports, Universal Sports, …

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