Simone Manuel Sets New NCAA Record with 21.17 in the 50 Free

2017 WOMEN’S NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS

Olympic champion Simone Manuel of Stanford set a new NCAA record in the 50 free tonight, blasting 21.17 to win the event. With tonight’s swim, she also scored the second-fastest swim in history.

In order to take the title, Manuel had to swim past the previous NCAA record holder and defending champion Olivia Smoliga of Georgia. Smoliga was 21.21 to win the event and set the NCAA record in 2016, and tonight she was 21.27 to score second. Smoliga’s performance tonight was ties for the fourth-fastest swim in history. You can see the top five all-time swims below:

  1. Abbey Weitzeil (2016): 21.12
  2. Simone Manuel (2017): 21.17
  3. Olivia Smoliga (2016): 21.21
  4. Lara Jackson (2009): 21.27r / Olivia Smoliga (2017): 21.27

Manuel has taken two gold medals and one silver so far in this championships, with wins in the 800 free relay (NCAA, American, U.S. Open records) and the 50 free (NCAA record) and a silver in the 200 free relay (NCAA record). She has the 200 free individual coming up tomorrow and the 100 on Saturday.

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bobo gigi
7 years ago

She’s clutch.

big calves
7 years ago

Always goes faster for herself than for her team.

Hswimmer
Reply to  big calves
7 years ago

Uhm, what??

Card Nation
Reply to  big calves
7 years ago

Please. While she didn’t have a stellar lead off on the 200 free relay, she still has the fastest 50 and 100 relay splits of all time.

bobo gigi
Reply to  big calves
7 years ago

Funny how some people try to build an image.
I would never put someone other than Simone to anchor a US relay right now. She’s better to anchor.

bobo gigi
Reply to  bobo gigi
7 years ago

I meant a US 4X100 relay, medley or free.

ERVINFORTHEWIN
Reply to  big calves
7 years ago

bring that again ……we havent heard well

ERVINFORTHEWIN
Reply to  big calves
7 years ago

check Duel in the Pool 2013 …..

bobo gigi
Reply to  ERVINFORTHEWIN
7 years ago

Exactly Jean-Michel. And she did a great job in the medley relay in Rio too.

ERVINFORTHEWIN
Reply to  bobo gigi
7 years ago

Oh yeah – she is like MP or other great anchor swimmers . The know how & when to be clutch monsters on the end of a tight relay . She will anchor in Budapest , no doubt about it . Exciting already to foresee this summer ‘s great swims

AvidSwimFan
Reply to  big calves
7 years ago

Umm the 400 medley in Rio, the 200 free relay, 400 medley relay, or 200 medley relay at PAC-12s, she anchored all. Those 3 relays at PAC-12 would have gone to cal without Simone.

E Gamble
Reply to  big calves
7 years ago

Any college swimming race that Simone swims is for the team. What are you even talking about?

Slgore76
7 years ago

Simone gonna Simone

Person
Reply to  Slgore76
7 years ago

Simone gonna Swimone

Troy
Reply to  Slgore76
7 years ago

Her and Anthony Irving have better finishing power than anyone I have seen.

Laps On Laps Bruh
Reply to  Troy
7 years ago

Bruh you didn’t watch Penny finish any of her races in Rio?! … shame, they were impressive 😛

ERVINFORTHEWIN
Reply to  Troy
7 years ago

U bet

BSD
7 years ago

Every time I start to worry about Simone, she pulls off something like this. Amazing!

About Hannah Hecht

Hannah Hecht

Hannah Hecht grew up in Kansas and spent most of her childhood trying to convince coaches to let her swim backstroke in freestyle sets. She took her passion to Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa and swam at NAIA Nationals all four years. After graduating in 2015, she moved to …

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