Hali Flickinger: “I want to lead the charge for our country” (Video)

Reported by James Sutherland.

Hali Flickinger: “I want to have that race, where I hit the wall and jaws drop … to have a very strong 200 fly, I want to do that for our country to make that a strong event for us.”

WOMEN’S 200 FLY FINALS

  • American Record: 2:04.14, Mary DeScenza, 2009
  • U.S. Open Record: 2:05.96, Mary T. Meagher, 1981
  • LC National Meet Record: 2:05.96, Mary T. Meagher, 1981
  • FINA ‘A’ Standard: 2:09.77
  1. Hali Flickinger, ABSC, 2:07.60
  2. Dakota Luther, ASC, 2:08.71
  3. Sarah Gibson, TAMU, 2:08.75

Hali Flickinger led from the gun and never looked back, coming in at 2:07.60 to become the first American to qualify for the World Championships this year. She really extended her lead on the third 50, and held it together well to win by over a second.

After Katie McLaughlin was in 2nd for the first half of the race, 17-year-old Dakota Luther stormed down the third length to take over 2nd into the last 50, and held off a hard charging Sarah Gibson to hang on for the second World Championship spot in 2:08.71. Luther, still in high school, makes the team after no high schoolers made the Olympic team last year.

Gibson rounded out the podium in 2:08.75, while Ella Eastin had a great swim out of lane 8 to take 4th in 2:09.24.

Vanessa Krause and Jen Marrkand got under 2:10 as well to take 5th and 6th, while McLaughlin faded a bit coming home, ending up in 6th in a time of 2:10.21.

Cassidy Bayer led the B-final early but ran into trouble on the final 50, as Ruby Martin took over to win the heat in 2:10.42. Bayer finished back in 6th in 2:11.92, while 17-year-old Madison Homovich triumphed in the C-final in 2:11.71.

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Markster
7 years ago

Ummm

marklewis
7 years ago

Hali – if you can swim some 32’s for the final 2 laps, you will have your 2:05.

You’re the USA’s best hope in the 200 fly.

100flyer
7 years ago

You go girl ? I hope you’ll get to the 2.05’s and be on the podium. The women 200 fly is one of the most unpredictable races right now so if she goes as fast as 2.05 she will definitely be on the podium. It’s good she is self aware about her times compare to the world and not just go and say “oh I won u.s world trails so I’m the best”.

About Coleman Hodges

Coleman Hodges

Coleman started his journey in the water at age 1, and although he actually has no memory of that, something must have stuck. A Missouri native, he joined the Columbia Swim Club at age 9, where he is still remembered for his stylish dragon swim trunks. After giving up on …

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