In 2015, Kelsi Worrell became the first member of her family to break the 50-second barrier in the 100 SCY butterfly. At the 2015 Women’s NCAA Championships, Worrell went 49.89 in prelims, then went 49.81 in finals. To conclude her senior year with Louisville, in March of 2016, she dropped even more time to post a 49.43, well under the 50 second mark.
Fifty. Seconds. It was a barrier no family member had ever broken– it was an American record, too, but there’s something about intra-family competition that just can’t be beat. As determined as the rest of the Worrells were, as much work as they were putting in, as hard as they pushed their underwaters, nothing was working; Kelsi’s times were simply too far out of reach.
Until today.
At the 2017 YMCA Short Course Nationals, Kelsi’s brother Kyle Worrell effectively became the second member of the family to join the 49 club in the 100 fly. Swimming in prelims, seeded with a 50.31, he was primed for the swim of his life– he hit the pad at 49.90. He finished 8th in prelims, and he’ll lead his team, the YMCA of Burlington and Camden Counties (YBCC) Phoenix, in the A final tonight. This will serve as another chance for him to chase Kelsi’s lifetime best of 49.43, and take true ownership of the Worrell family 100 fly crown.
@swimswamnews @RowdyGaines will @kylew42 become the second Worrell under 50 in the 1fly this week at YNats??
— Kelsi Dahlia (@kelsiwhirl) March 30, 2015
Not yet!
Welcome to the 49 club @kylew42! #finally #seeyousoon #proudsis
— Kelsi Dahlia (@kelsiwhirl) April 4, 2017
There we go!
Just ask Reggie Miller how that feels
Tfw you get a pr but are still slower than your sister
*your sister the Olympic gold medalist