On top of her stunning 100 breaststroke win in the 4th-fastest performance of all time, Indiana’s Lilly King doubled up on that effort with a 200 breaststroke win on the final night of this year’s Big Ten Championships.
2:05.58 was King’s winning time in the 200 breaststroke, which scored the freshman a new Big Ten Conference record. Re-live the huge victory, capped off by a 2nd-place finish by freshman Hoosier teammate Miranda Tucker with the race video below, courtesy of Indiana Swimming & Diving.
WATCH | IU's Lilly King and Miranda Tucker finish 1-2 in the Championship Final of the #B1GSD 200 breast. #GoIU https://t.co/LrSBz1ysxd
— IU Swim and Dive (@IUSwimAndDive) February 23, 2016
As originally reported by Loretta Race:
200 BREASTSTROKE – FINAL
Top 3:
- Lilly King, Indiana, 2:05.58
- Miranda Tucker, Indiana – 2:06.52
- Emily Fogle, Purdue – 2:08.07
Huge points for Indiana in the best-case scenario for the Hoosiers in this 200 breaststroke race. Freshman Lilly King stepped up again, successfully sweeping the meet’s breaststroke events by nabbing the 200m title tonight in a new conference championship meet record of 2:05.58. King surged to the lead early and held on, splitting 59.60, the only sub-minute opening 100 of the field. Her 2nd 100 came in at 1:05.98, making King’s overall time so swift, it would have taken 2nd place at last year’s NCAA Championships. King’s effort also makes her the 8th-fastest performer of all time in the event.
Right behind her was teammate (another freshman breaststroking phenom) Miranda Tucker, who stopped the clock less than a second later in 2:06.52. Tucker opened in 1:00.44 and closed in 1:06.08 to give Indiana much-needed 2nd place points in the race. Tucker’s time also was faster than last year’s 2nd place swimmer at the NCAA Championship meet.
Both King and Tucker claimed NCAA automatic qualifying times, as well as slid under the pool record mark.
Purdue’s Emily Fogle improved her 6th place position from this same meet last year in spades, notching the 3rd place position tonight in 2:08.07. Even if Fogle swam her season-best time of 2:07.30 from last November, she wouldn’t have caught the Hoosier leaders tonight.
2:11.23 was the time needed to get the invite to last year’s NCAA Championships, so tonight’s top 6 swimmers dipped under that mark as a testament to how fast this discipline is in the Big Ten.
Steve, I find your reasoning very curious.
Do you really believe Miss Tucker would be at this level right now if she didn’t train every day with Lilly King?
Both girls push each other in training and both girls benefit from that.
I think she, Miranda, would excel anywhere. She has consistently been cutting times through the past couple years, and been excellent in her form. I can see Indiana working with Miranda on technique a little and definately with Lily with all her hype, but I don’t see them working on Miranda’s walls or Lily’s questionable techniques when judges aren’t looking directly over her. Stroke and questionable habits only gets you so far. If either did leave, it would probably be to get the coaching and development I see Indiana lacking in their training with most of their swimmers. It seems to me neither really need the other to excel because they are both driven and competitive. Good luck to both,… Read more »
Bobo, be at that level?! Miranda Tucker went to the 2012 Olympic Trials and has been at that level since then. Her and Lilly King have been competing in the mid-west against each other for years. They have always had comparable times.
Yes, the best get better by training with the best. They are preparing to race the best in the world, and what better way to prepare than to do it consistently in practice! Though I think you underestimate Miranda’s competitive spirit as an individual. She has a fierce will to win, with or without Lilly.
Where are the stroke and turn judges? There are only judges walking the the sides, no one on the turn ends of the pool.
There weren’t even any on the final touch, WHAT? Come on!!!!!
Saw some pretty questionable turns also!
That makes no sense. Tucker is the most versatile (and possibly valuable) swimmer on the team. She can swim anything, and swim it well. She’s had a terrific 2016, and only lost to King and Haughey at the Big Ten’s. How would not having King as a teammate make her better?
Where are the stroke and turn judges? I don’t see any on either end of the pool, only walking the sides. There weren’t even any judges on the final touch, What, come on!!!
Saw some pretty questionable touches too!!
Wouldn’t be surprised if Tucker transferred away from IU. She can take what she has learned from IU and apply it to another program. 3 more years of competing head-to-head against King might take a toll on her, rather than motivate her. I know she considered Michigan, Arizona, Texas and Queens. She is from the metro Detroit area so maybe she re-evaluates some things.
Or maybe they make each other better? Miranda is a fierce competitor and training together to be working for both of them.Wishing them all the best at NCAA’s.