Erika Brown Swims PR in 100 Free, Becomes 4th-Fastest American This Season

2019 ATLANTA CLASSIC

• May 17th-19th, 2019
• Georgia Tech McAuley Aquatic Center, Atlanta, Georgia
• LCM (50m pool)
• Meet Information
• Psych Sheets
• Live Results

NCAA record holder Erika Brown continued her sharp ascent into the American sprint spotlight Sunday night at the 2019 Atlanta Classic, becoming the fourth-fastest American woman in the 100 free so far in the 2018-2019 season.

Brown, 20, went 54.36 (splitting 26.28/28.08) to win the event by over a full second. Veronica Burchill took second place in 55.40 and Kalia Antoniou was third in 56.33.

Brown’s best time coming into the meet was 54.52, swum in June 2018. Her swim in Atlanta also improves significantly on her 2018 Summer Nationals prelims time of 54.96; she finished 15th in finals with a 55.47. Brown is not on an international roster this summer but won gold at last December’s 2018 Short Course World Championships as a prelims swimmer on the 4×50 medley and 4×100 free relays, and an anchor on the finals teams of the 4×50 and 4×200 free relays.

Brown is coming off a successful 2019 NCAA Championships for Tennessee. She placed second in the 50 free (21.23), fourth in the 100 fly (50.38), and fifth in the 100 free (46.99). She briefly held the 50 free NCAA record at 21.15, swum in February, and anchored her team to a national relay title in the 200 medley relay, going 20.98 to hold off Ameican record holder Abbey Weitzeil of Cal.

American Women 100 Free 2018-2019 Season Ranking:

1. Mallory Comerford, 53.33
2. Simone Manuel, 53.38
3. Margo Geer, 54.09
4. Erika Brown, 54.36
5. Amanda Kendall, 54.52
6. Olivia Smoliga, 54.65
7. Abbey Weitzeil, 54.72
8. Katie Ledecky, 54.76
9. Natalie Hinds, 54.80
10. Allison Schmitt, 55.18