Meili: “I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to keep swimming” (Video)

2018 U.S. NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Wednesday, July 25 – Sunday, July 29, 2018
• William Woollett Aquatics Center, Irvine, CA
• Prelims 9 AM / Finals 6 PM (U.S. Pacific Time)
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^{Reported by Lauren Neidigh.}

WOMEN’S 100 BREAST:

• World Record: Lilly King, 1:04.13, 2017
• American Record: Lilly King, 1:04.13, 2017
• Championship Record: Lilly King, 1:04.95, 2017
• U.S. Open Record: Jessica Hardy, 1:04.45, 2009

1. GOLD: Lilly King– 1:05.36
2. SILVER: Katie Meili– 1:06.19
3. BRONZE: Micah Sumrall– 1:06.34
4. FOURTH: Molly Hannis– 1:06.36

Olympic champion and World Record holder Lilly King‘s win was never in question throughout this race. King topped the field by almost a second, touching in 1:05.36 to win it and secure a spot on Pan Pacs. She had earned a Worlds spot with her 50 breast win last night, but this was her final shot at making Pan Pacs. Olympic silver medalist and fellow Worlds team member Katie Meili held off 200 breast champ Micah Sumrall for 2nd, making it likely she’ll head to Pan Pacs as well.

Olympian Sumrall swam her fastest 100 breast ever, touching in 1:06.34 for 3rd as she ran down Molly Hannis. Her 34.91 split was the fastest back half of the field. Fellow Olympian Hannis was 4th by just 2 hundredths in 1:06.36. there’s an outside shot she makes Pan Pacs with that, but it’s far from a sure thing at this point. Hannis swam her lifetime best 1:05.78 this morning, which would’ve been 2nd tonight. That time made her the 7th fastest American ever in the event.

Another breaststroke Olympian, Breeja Larson, was just out of the top 4 in 1:07.80, holding off fellow Aggie Jorie Caneta (1:07.82). That was Caneta’s first swim sub-1:08. World Junior 50 breast champEmily Weiss, who was initially DQed this morning but had it overturned, placed 7th in 1:07.99, tying her best time from last summer’s nationals and securing her spot for Junior Pan Pacs.