Hunter Armstrong: “I wanted to make sure my best performance would be at worlds”

2023 U.S. NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

After missing world champs qualification in both the 100 free and 50 back, Hunter Armstrong secured his ticket to Fukuoka on Friday with a win in the 100 backstroke.

Armstrong revealed that he and his coach Matt Bowe had decided prior to the meet that his focus would be peaking at world championships, therefore not fully tapering for the trials in Indianapolis this week. Although it made for a mentally challenging week, Armstrong was able to make the team and move forward toward Japan.

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Yaboi
1 year ago

Weirdly dismissive of Lasco- especially given that Lasco’s best time from prelims was only about half a second from making the team

Steve Nolan
1 year ago

aren’t he and lasco like the same age?

that felt infantilizing

chazoozle
1 year ago

He was born in the same year as Destin Lasco lol. He is making it sound like he is the grandpa on the team

naa
1 year ago

this is a cop out lmao, a safety net. there’s always a complaint

Dressel GOAT
1 year ago

You shaved, tapered and you swam OK times. Stop making excuses.

Ress and Ceccon will smash you in Fukuoka.

BRODY
Reply to  Dressel GOAT
1 year ago

Everything okay at home?

SWMFAN
Reply to  BRODY
1 year ago

Love this

Swim2win
Reply to  Dressel GOAT
1 year ago

Ceccon has been mediocre this year

Snarky
Reply to  Swim2win
1 year ago

52 mid last week.

Davide
Reply to  Swim2win
1 year ago

Yea, totally not like 2022 when his best time before worlds was a 52.99…
You Americans need to realize Italian backstroke is atrocious outside of Ceccon, so he simply doesn’t need to taper whatsoever outside of the big meet, on top of being a pretty slow in-season swimmer.

Obviously Armstrong and Murphy, and a couple other guys to be honest, have their chances, but to claim Ceccon has been mediocre relative to his in-season standard simply isn’t true.

There is always one!
Reply to  Dressel GOAT
1 year ago

Why are you so miserable? These are young athletes who are doing their best on a national/international level. You know ABSOLUTELY nothing about these athlete’ level of taper. What heat were you in this week- which event ? I must have missed your race.

PFA
1 year ago

For not having complete rest and still dropping a 52.33 he’s in a great place keep an eye on him attacking murphs American record and potentially the world record

Fetterman
1 year ago

I bet that more than a few of the other swimmers had a similar strategy: Ledecky, Regan Smith, and Carson Foster to list several possibilities.

Best wishes to Hunter in Japan at Worlds. I’m a big fan, and appreciate his hard work and candor!

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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