Katie McLaughlin and Will Licon capped off the 2015 Fran Crippen Swim Meet of Champions with a lifetime-best each en route to individual wins.
McLaughlin, the 17-year-old swimming for the host club Mission Viejo, won the 100 fly to open the night. Her 57.87 was a new 17-18 National Age Group record, and she becomes the first U.S. junior to break 58 in the event.
That time will also rank her inside the top 10 in the world this year:
2014-2015 LCM Women 100 Fly
SJOSTROM
55.64*WR
| 2 | Jeanette OTTESEN | DEN | 57.04 | 08/02 |
| 3 | Kelsi WORRELL | USA | 57.24 | 07/16 |
| 4 | Emma McKEON | AUS | 57.31 | 04/03 |
| 5 | Ying LU | CHN | 57.36 | 08/02 |
| 6 | Madeline GROVES | AUS | 57.44 | 04/03 |
| 7 | Katerine SAVARD | CAN | 57.52 | 08/02 |
| 8 | Xinyi CHEN | CHN | 57.63*WJR | 08/02 |
| 9 | Rachael KELLY | GBR | 57.71 | 04/14 |
| 10 | Elena DI LIDDO | ITA | 57.75 | 06/12 |
McLaughlin will compete in the 200 fly for the United States at Worlds in Kazan, Russia.
Also impressive was Nitro Swimming’s Will Licon. The Texas native is coming off a huge college season for the University of Texas, but has been quiet for most of the summer. But Licon showed up in Mission Viejo with a huge lifetime-best in the 100 breast, going 1:01.50 to pick up the win over Japanese legend Kosuke Kitajima, a four-time Olympic gold medalist.
At age 32, Kitajima was 1:01.98. For his part, Licon got under 1:02 for the first time ever. His previous best according to USA Swimming was a 1:02.73 from last summer’s U.S. Nationals.
Canyons Swim Club’s Santo Condorelli won the men’s 100 fly, going 53.56. Condorelli is a USC Trojan who recently switched his citizenship to Canada, a nation he hopes to represent in the Rio Olympics next year.
He beat USC teammate Ralf Tribuntsov (54.00) for that 100 fly win.
Erin Emery won her second distance race of the weekend, going 16:46.34 to win the women’s 1500 free. Emery, 17, currently swims for the Sandpipers of Nevada, but will join the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers next fall.
Canada’s Brooklynn Snodgrass paced the women’s 100 back, winning easily in 1:01.71. The men’s race went to USC’s Dylan Carter in 55.53.
Jordan Wilimovsky won the male distance race, going 7:59.72 in the 800 free. Wilimovsky is a Northwestern Wildcat and a Big Ten champ, but will redshirt next year to train for the Olympic Trials with Team Santa Monica.
The youngest winner of the night was Team Manitoba’s Kelsey Wog, a 16-year-old who won the 100 breast with a 1:09.27. That came in a narrow win over fellow Canadian Tera Van Beilen (1:09.52).
One more Canadian winner: Greater Ottawa Kingfish Erika Seltenreich in the 200 IM. Seltenreich was 2:14.99 to run away with the event over American Ella Eastin (2:17.12).
The men’s 200 IM went to Anton Panferov of Orange County Riptide. Panferov was 2:03.33, beating Mission Viejo 18-year-old Grant Shoults (2:03.83).
Great swims for McLaughlin! She is digging into the potential we’ve seen for a while.
Knocks over half a second off Felicia Lee’s 58.41 NAG!
Mary T.’s 57.93 was ACTUALLY the first junior under 58 seconds at 16 years old – still the NAG! 34 years later, she has company
Will Licon will swim fully tapered 1.00 low/2.08 something in August.
And another best time for Katie McLaughlin at this meet after her 55 low in the 100 free and her 1.57 in the 200 free. First sub 58 of her young career in the 100 fly. The first of many others. New NAG record. We knew she had a great endurance and now with age, she adds more and more speed to her repertoire. It will help a lot her 200 fly, her best event. She’s on track for big big things in Rio in that event. And I thought that a world final would be a good first step in a few weeks but clearly, she can target… Read more »
Hes gonna be 58 and 207 next summer when it counts
If you are already predicting a 3.5 second drop may as well aim high and proclaim he’ll go a 57.
Considering I know just how rested or lack their of that he
Considering I know just how rested or lack there of that he was i truly believe he will be at 1:00 or high 59 at natls. That leaves about a 1 second or possibly less of a drop for next summer. But hey if you going to be at trials I am always up for a friendly wager.
Well Mary T Meagher years ago did at 57,8 I think and a 2:05. something 200 meter. Maybe, Katie is following in her steps.
Katie is clearly the best 100 fly/200 fly US talent since a very long time.
Probably since Mary T. Meagher.
I looked at Misty Hyman’s performances and I knew she had a crazy surprising swim in Sydney to win the olympic gold but I didn’t realize until today it was so crazy. 2.05.88 in final and her best time before Sydney was 2.09.27 at olympic trials!
Oh snap. Between Worrell and McLaughlin, I’m a bit less worried about the US women in the 100m fly next year. Granted, as long as Sjostrom is in the picture, gold is a longshot, but it’s starting to look like we may at least have a medalist. I know Dana Vollmer is technically back in the water, but I’m not sure how realistic it would be to hope she can make the team.
Here’s hoping McLaughlin’s got more in the tank come Kazan.
Woops, forgot McLaughlin isn’t swimming the 100 fly at worlds.
Although, depending on how the ladies in the 100 do, we may see her on the medley after this.