Video interview is courtesy of Kelsey Floyd. Video edit is courtesy of Coleman Hodges.
2013 US Winter National Championhips – Women’s 100 butterfly – as reported by SwimSwam
The prelims hype was for Janet Hu, who broke 52 for the first time in her young and promising career, but the finals were all Claire Donahue. The 2012 Olympian was a shot out a cannon early in the race, grabbing the first 50 lead and pushing the pace the whole way to go 51.69 for the national championship. Hu made a run on the final underwater, kicking out just ahead of Donahue, who came up relatively quickly, but Donahue’s straight speed to the wall was too much for Hu to match. Nonetheless, Hu was 51.76, another lifetime-best, and moved another couple tenths closer to Elaine Breeden’s National Age Group record of 51.1.
Kelsi Worrell of Louisville also broke 52; she took third place in 51.94. Celina Li, swimming her second straight event, took fourth in 52.52, and Wisconsin high schooler Beata Nelson was fifth in 52.70.
Cindy Tran of California lost her goggles during the first 25 and was disqualified taking them off near the first wall. She did finish the race without goggles, but had to play catchup after losing the early ground.
Cal’s Sophia Batchelor won the B final, going a strong 52.51. That time would have taken fourth in the championship final.
