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.