Ruta Meilutyte Resets 100 Breast U.S. Open Record with Fastest Time Since 2014

2022 FINA WORLD CUP – INDIANAPOLIS

Ruta Meilutyte wrapped up her 100 breast Triple Crown with a 1:02.77 on Friday night in Indianapolis, marking her fastest time since 2014. 

WOMEN’S 100 BREAST – FINALS

PODIUM:

  1. Ruta Meilutyte (LTU) – 1:02.77
  2. Lilly King (USA) – 1:03.74
  3. Anastasia Gorbenko (ISR) – 1:05.21

Although the 25-year-old Lithuanian fell off her own world record pace during the closing meters of the race, she still came away with a U.S. Open record and a $10,000 bonus for her Triple Crown victory. Meilutyte took down the Lilly King’s U.S. Open record of 1:03.00 from the 2019 ISL championship. King placed second less than one second behind Meilutyte with a time of 1:03.74. 

Meilutyte’s swim is the 14th-fastest of all time and her seventh time under 1:03. Only co-world record holder Alia Atkinson has clocked more sub-1:03 swims (13). 

Meilutyte got faster at each stop of the World Cup series. She went 1:03.07 in Berlin before posting a 1:02.95 in Toronto last weekend. She qualified sixth in prelims Friday morning and swam out of lane 7 for the evening final, but it wasn’t a problem as she went .18 seconds faster than last weekend for another win. Those three swims rank as the fastest in the world this year. 

Fastest 100 SCM Breast Times, 2022

  1. Ruta Meilutyte (LTU) – 1:02.77
  2. Ruta Meilutyte (LTU) – 1:02.95
  3. Ruta Meilutyte (LTU) – 1:03.07
  4. Lilly King (USA) – 1:03.23
  5. Benedetta Pilato (ITA) – 1:03.69

The gold medal is Meilutyte’s fifth on this year’s World Cup series and 11th in her career. 

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Vilinus Native
2 years ago

I would be impressed by this if it were not for that fact that she swims under the influence of PEDs. What’s the US Open Record for clean athletes (not including Meilutyte, Efimova, etc.)?

CanuckSwimmer
Reply to  Vilinus Native
2 years ago

When has she ever tested positive??

Atlas Stone Carry Enjoyer
2 years ago

Maybe we should get her on a drug test! Surely if she popped once, she learned her lesson and wouldn’t cheat again.

Sub13
Reply to  Atlas Stone Carry Enjoyer
2 years ago

She’s literally never had drugs detected in her system

mahaney
2 years ago

atkinson was sub 1.03 13 times?!?! i knew she was good but thats crazy

Admin
Reply to  mahaney
2 years ago

Last few years of her career, she basically stopped going to a lot of the major international championships and just went all in on these World Cups. The meets were not well-attended by top names those years, so I think her run of success there was overlooked a bit.

Tomek
2 years ago

This article is from the time Ruta was just 16 years old https://www.yourswimlog.com/how-badass-is-ruta-meilutytes-start/

John
2 years ago

I’m hoping she has her eyes on Paris. What’s her training situation these days?

Johnsinswim school
2 years ago

You’re my favorite.
Great come back.
Just like a hungry breast stroker..
Get faster you can do it.
Start pilates.

About Riley Overend

Riley is an associate editor interested in the stories taking place outside of the pool just as much as the drama between the lane lines. A 2019 graduate of Boston College, he arrived at SwimSwam in April of 2022 after three years as a sports reporter and sports editor at newspapers …

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