Simone Manuel Swims Fastest 100 Freestyle Since 2019 Worlds With 53.10

2024 NOVA SPEEDO GRAND CHALLENGE

WOMEN’S 100 FREE – FINAL

  • Meet record: 54.08 – Simone Manuel, 2024
  • U.S. Olympic Trials cut: 55.79

Top 4:

  1. Simone Manuel (TXLA) – 53.10 *Meet record
  2. Anicka Delgado (EVO) – 55.71
  3. Claire Weinstein (SAND) – 55.87
  4. Paige Madden (NYAC) – 56.59

Simone Manuel swam her fastest 100 freestyle since 2019 en route to winning the event in Irvine. Manuel clocked a 53.10, tying exactly her time from prelims of the 2019 World Championships. She also became the 3rd fastest American in the event this season, setting herself up well headed into next month’s Olympic Trials.

2023-2024 US Women Top 5- 2023-2024

  1. Kate Douglass, 52.98
  2. Torri Huske, 53.08
  3. Simone Manuel, 53.10
  4. Gretchen Walsh, 53.17
  5. Abbey Weitzeil, 53.53

The last time Manuel was faster than she was today was at the 2019 World Championships. There she swam a 53.10 in prelims to be the top seed heading into semifinals. She ended up winning the World title in the event in a 52.04.

Two years later, Manuel competed in the event at the 2021 Wave II Olympic Trials where she finished 9th in a 54.17. Despite not making the ‘A’ final at Trials, Manuel anchored the US women’s 4×100 free relay to a bronze medal as he split a 52.96.

The 2016 Olympic Champion in the event is making strides at the right time. After swimming in the 54 and 55-second range during most of 2023, she broke the 54-second mark with a 53.65 at the US Open in December. Now, just six months later, she is already hoovering the 52-second mark.

Seven American women have been under the 54-second mark this season including Kate Douglass who has been the lone swimmer under the 53-second mark. After it took a 53.59 to earn an individual swim and a 54.12 in the 100 free to earn a relay swim for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the competition has been even faster since then and it could potentially take a 53-low.

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Tani
5 months ago

Oh dear, until I see something in the 52s low or 51, it isn’t even relevant!!!

Swimz
5 months ago

USA relay is gonna lower the AR..Huske (lead off) 52.75 (pb), witzel 52.4, Manuel 52.4, Douglass 51.9 are my predictions..Walsh would swimm morning and earn the spot..she is not good with doing doubles

Beginner Swimmer at 25
5 months ago

🚨🚨🚨 Houstonian Legend Simone Manuel🏊🏾‍♀️🏊🏾‍♀️🏊🏾‍♀️ is BACK 💪 and ready to 😈 SMASH 🦍

😍 Siobhan’ Ms Worldwide 🌏 Haughey 👻 🇭🇰🇭🇰🇭🇰 (maybe prolly not🥇)
Irish legend 🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪 Mollie O’Callican’t ☘️☘️☘️
Cate No Cowbell 🐮🔕 Campbell 🥫
🇳🇱 Mareet 🤨 Steinburger 🤨❓🙋‍♀️ dont know who that is 🤨
🇳🇿🇳🇿🇳🇿Shayna PED Jack 💉💉💉🤢🤮

with a 51.9 ⏳

🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 And will lead Gretchen, Curzan, and Douglass (the statistics major 🤓) to the PROMISE LAND and hand the Aussies (fat losers) 🦘👈😂😂😂 the most humiliating defeat in swimming since 2000 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 #MURICA 🔥

2008 wasn’t a fluke cuz the French was ez work for us ⏲️🥚😌

Last edited 5 months ago by Beginner Swimmer at 25
Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
Reply to  Beginner Swimmer at 25
5 months ago

Put down the bong and step far away from the keyboard. Sacre Bleu!

Irrelevant Swim Production
Reply to  Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
5 months ago

can you stop hating on random comments lol? Freedom of speech man

Sub13
Reply to  Beginner Swimmer at 25
5 months ago

I’m apparently known for complaining about racism on here so I guess it’s my turn again: Did you use a gorilla emoji to describe Simone Manuel, a black swimmer? That’s just like next level unacceptable right? Or am I crazy?

Greg
Reply to  Sub13
5 months ago

I may be wrong but I think that was for the “SMASH” part

Sub13
Reply to  Greg
5 months ago

If you REALLY wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt I guess you could say that. But for a troll with a history of racist comments it’s pretty obvious what they’re doing

Swimdad
Reply to  Greg
5 months ago

This fool thinks everyone is a troll and a racist while all he does is troll people and call them names.

Sub13
Reply to  Swimdad
5 months ago

You are the definition of troll. Get a hobby lol.

Last time I checked referring to black people as gorillas was pretty clearly racist.

Summer in Paris
Reply to  Swimdad
5 months ago

Swimdad is one the biggest trolls here.

Scuncan Dott V2
Reply to  Beginner Swimmer at 25
5 months ago

Holy cringe.

Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
Reply to  Scuncan Dott V2
5 months ago

Holy cringe, Batman.

Robbos
Reply to  Beginner Swimmer at 25
5 months ago

Oh Dear!!!!!

Swimdad
Reply to  Beginner Swimmer at 25
5 months ago

I haven’t read anywhere that Shayna has ever used any PED. Do you have any information to share?

Octavio Gupta
Reply to  Swimdad
5 months ago

She’s literally been suspended before for testing positive for banned substances

swimanalyst49
Reply to  Swimdad
5 months ago
Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
5 months ago

Predictions
2024 Olympic Team Trials
W 100 FR
Douglass vs Manuel for top honors
Huske, Torri
Walsh, Gretchen
Weitzeil, Abbey
??????

Hopefully, a “bolt from the blue” emerges to grab the sixth spot.

As for the U.S. Open Record in the W 100 FR (52.54), it’s going down.

Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
5 months ago

Speedo Rankings
2023-2024 LCM Women 200 Free
Manuel, Simone – 1:57.03

https://swimswam.com/ranking/2023-2024-lcm-women-200-free/

Ahem!

Swimmerj
5 months ago

Excited to see what the UVA ladies do next weekend. I wish there was a way we could fall asleep and wake up at the start of US/AUS trials!

Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
Reply to  Swimmerj
5 months ago

I expect Kate Douglass to swim a light schedule (100 BR, 100 FL, 50 FR?, 100 FR) next weekend.

Gretchen Walsh better practice session doubles to replicate Day 1 of the 2024 Summer Olympics (W 100 FL semis/W 4 x 100 FR-R final).

Summer in Paris
Reply to  Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
5 months ago

Err..

W100 fly semi and w4x100 free final is doable.

Emma McKeon did it in Rio and Tokyo no problem.

Sarah Sjostrom did it in Rio

So did some other international swimmers.

And they were more than fine.

Pretty sure GWalsh could do it.

Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
Reply to  Summer in Paris
5 months ago

Oh really?

2023 World Aquatics Championships
Women’s 4 x 100 meter freestyle relay
Lead-off leg
Gretchen Walsh – 54.06

Last edited 5 months ago by Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
Reply to  Swimmerj
5 months ago

Hopefully, the fans get to see Alex Walsh swim the breaststroke events.

Swimmerfan
5 months ago

I think this relay will be more competitive than ever with Australia
more fun to watch than other years.

Maybe…
Huske 52,80
Manuel 52,24
Walsh 51,98
Douglass 51,73

3:28:75 in total!! The actual record is 3:31!! Wow is very exciting

Last edited 5 months ago by Swimmerfan
Mark69
Reply to  Swimmerfan
5 months ago

The WR is 3.27.96. Australia will most likely beat that (their own record) in Paris, so although 3.28.7 is good, it will probably be 1 second away from gold.

Last edited 5 months ago by Mark69
Dan tm
Reply to  Mark69
5 months ago

Sure,
Play the same game taking actual PB splits and leadoff
MOC 52.08 (Leadoff)
Jack 51.53
McKeon 51.35
C.Campbell 50.93

3.25.89

BTW…When did G Walsh split a 51.98?

Mark69
Reply to  Dan tm
5 months ago

I’m predicting an Australian win, but there is no way known C1 swims 50.93 in Paris.

Dan tm
Reply to  Mark69
5 months ago

Agreed
and about as realistic as the US going 3.28

swimanalyst49
Reply to  Dan tm
5 months ago

Any relay with Jack on it is questionable as a legitimate win, so in a way, it doesn’t matter if Australia officially grabs gold in the women’s 4*100 FR

Troyy
Reply to  swimanalyst49
5 months ago

As questionable as the relays Jessica Hardy competed in?

whoopee
Reply to  Troyy
5 months ago

Quite a long memory there, Troyy. We gonna talk Kornelia Ender next?

Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
Reply to  whoopee
5 months ago

That’s the entire East German female contingent not just Ender.

commonwombat
Reply to  Troyy
5 months ago

Or Angel Martino (Myers) – multiple medals 1992/1996 after testing positive for nandrolone in 1988.

Personally have minimal time for Jack and find the “whitewashing” that’s been done rather tedious but the reality is ….. mud can be thrown both ways and quite honestly almost every significant country has a skeleton or two in their closet.

swimanalyst49
Reply to  Troyy
5 months ago

Actual details make clear that Hardy’s case was different from Jack’s. Hardy was tested *during* the 2008 Olympic trials—a high-stakes competition when any athlete with brains would have ingested nothing other than food and water for obvious reasons—and her results, which inconsistently indicated the presence of clenbuterol, were made public as such within 48 hours of USADA’s acknowledged receipt of them (https://www.dailynews.com/ 2008/07/23/us-swimmer-tests-positive-for-banned-substance/; https://www.latimes.com/archives/blogs/olympics-blog/story/2008-08-08/ucla-lab-let-hardys-test-sit-despite-expedited-request). One lab confirmed that the Advocare supplements Hardy had been taking contained clenbuterol (https://www.upi.com/Sports_News/ 2009/02/16/US-swimmer-supplement-firm-countersue/UPI-42601234814324/); indeed, connections had been demonstrated between other Advocare products and banned, performance-enhancing substances, and Hardy who like five other athletes who had qualified for… Read more »

swimapologist
Reply to  swimanalyst49
5 months ago

Your best argument is “Hardy had the benefit of a performance enhancing substance in her system during a big meet and Jack didn’t”?

This is a good demonstration of the way that the same facts can be spun in different directions. It’s rare to find someone who acknowledges both directions that a fact can be spun. Everyone wants to spin those facts in the direction that works for their cause (and then accuse the other side of ignoring nuance).

swimanalyst49
Reply to  Troyy
5 months ago

Actual details make clear that Hardy’s case was different from Jack’s. Hardy was tested *during* the 2008 Olympic trials—a high-stakes competition when any athlete with brains would have ingested nothing other than food and water for obvious reasons—and her results, which inconsistently indicated the presence of clenbuterol, were made public as such within 48 hours of USADA’s acknowledged receipt of them. One lab confirmed that the Advocare supplements Hardy had been taking contained clenbuterol; indeed, connections had been demonstrated between other Advocare products and banned, performance-enhancing substances, and Hardy, who like five other athletes qualified for the 2008 U.S. Olympic team was one of Advocare’s official endorsers, acknowledged her responsibility for having taken the supplements in the first place even… Read more »

swimanalyst49
Reply to  Troyy
5 months ago

Jack was tested during training camp before the 2019 World Aquatics Championships—during a period when ligandrol, the substance for which her tests were positive, would have left no trace by the first day of competition in Gwangju—and cited “personal reasons” as the motivation for her departure from the team Even though Swimming Australia was informed on the 19th of July 2019 that Jack’s B test from the 26th of June 2019 was positive for ligandrol, it failed to report the results publicly until the 27th of July 2019, the penultimate day of the 2019 World Aquatics Championships. Furthermore, Jack was never able to demonstrate how the ligandrol got into her system, advancing implausible possibilities such as “using a pool and/or gym… Read more »

swimanalyst49
Reply to  Troyy
5 months ago

Beyond the lack of nuance reflected by your comment which is unfortunately characteristic of many posts on this site, especially when it comes to knee-jerk retorts of “U.S. athletes dope too” whenever allegations of doping in China or Russia surface—yes, athletes the world over dope, including U.S. athletes, but actual history, which has demonstrated without a doubt that these countries have had or still institute state-run doping systems, is why athletes from these nations face greater scrutiny than ones from other nations when things like the recent scandal concerning the doping of 23 Chinese athletes before the Tokyo Games are brought to light—the whataboutism here is stupid. First, Jack is an active athlete, while Hardy is not. Second, you have… Read more »

Sub13
Reply to  swimanalyst49
5 months ago

Replace Jack with a random 8 year old from the audience and Australia still would’ve won in Fukuoka

Swimfan
Reply to  Sub13
5 months ago

Probably not

KeithM
Reply to  Sub13
5 months ago

What kinda 8 year olds are you rearing on those stations bottomside?

Summer in Paris
Reply to  swimanalyst49
5 months ago

Then why did USA celebrate all those gold medals and WR with Jessica Hardy in it?

Last edited 5 months ago by Summer in Paris
swimanalyst49
Reply to  Summer in Paris
5 months ago

Read my reply to Troyy above once it posts. Again, my opinions are not necessarily synonymous with those of USA Swimming or USADA.

commonwombat
Reply to  Dan tm
5 months ago

Think 3.28 (whilst clearly notionally plausible) IS probably over optimistic; a US relay with all legs sub 52 is a very viable scenario and its also very likely that the US record should take a very significant “haircut”. US with a time well into the 3.29s is something I can very much see IF they can rid themselves of that one poor leg that has dogged them in recent times.

US DO have legitimate reasons for believe they will be far more competitive this year but to date, whilst some AUS names have been rather quiet; the best US times have yet to match those from MOC & Harris.

In all honesty, lets just wait and see what is actually… Read more »

Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
Reply to  commonwombat
5 months ago

2024 Summer Olympics
Women’s 4 x 100 meter freestyle relay
USA – 3:30 realistically, 3:29.75 idealistically

Swimfan
Reply to  Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
5 months ago

So dropping another .25 from your expections is idealistically I mean that couple be changer over that gets them under 3:30

Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
Reply to  Swimfan
5 months ago

The relay exchanges for the W 4 x 100 FR-R have been finely tuned during the training camp (post 2024 Olympic Team Trials).

Torri Huske could pop the lead-off split of her life on Day 1 of the 2024 Summer Olympics.

Troyy
Reply to  Dan tm
5 months ago

They’re fantasy splits they cobbled together to build a relay.

Summer in Paris
Reply to  Swimmerfan
5 months ago

3:28:75 in total!! The actual record is 3:31!! Wow is very exciting

The ACTUAL record is 4 seconds faster than 3:31

3:31 hasn’t been the record since 2014 when Australia broke The Netherlands supersuited record.

Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
Reply to  Summer in Paris
5 months ago

Reality kicks in when Torri Huske and Gretchen Walsh will most likely attempt to swim a session double during the evening session on Day 1 of the 2024 Summer Olympics:

W 100 FL (semis)
W 4 x 100 FR-R (final)

The USA Swimming women’s coaching staff better find out whether Torri Huske and Gretchen can hack a session double during the morning session on Day 1 of the 2024 Summer Olympics:

W 100 FL (heats)
W 4 x 100 FR-R (heats)

Last edited 5 months ago by Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
Summer in Paris
Reply to  Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
5 months ago

Err..

W100 fly semi and w4x100 free final is doable.

Emma McKeon did it in Rio and Tokyo no problem.

Sarah Sjostrom did it in Rio

So did some other international swimmers.

Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
Reply to  Summer in Paris
5 months ago

2023 World Aquatics Championships
Women’s 4 x 100 meter freestyle relay
Lead-off leg
Gretchen Walsh – 54.06

Gretchen Walsh is not in the same league as Sarah Sjostrom.

Last edited 5 months ago by Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
Rafael
Reply to  Swimmerfan
5 months ago

Sir, you have been frozen for 10 years.. you should read something to try to update yourself.. like you know that Phelps retired? That his WR have been broken?

Outside Smoke
Reply to  Rafael
5 months ago

This is the same guy that said Pieroni should make the 4 x 100 FR with a 48.5?

Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
Reply to  Swimmerfan
5 months ago

Maybe …… you should take a break.

Huske – 52.96
Walsh – 52.92
Douglass – 52.08
Manuel – 52.04
Total – 3:30

Back to reality.

Swimfan
Reply to  Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
5 months ago

That’s a big drop from Douglass compared to Walsh seems a little unfair at the moment don’t you think?

Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
Reply to  Swimfan
5 months ago

Torri Huske and Gretchen Walsh are swimming the semifinals of the women’s 100 meter butterfly during the evening session on Day 1:

W 100 FL (semis)
W 4 x 100 FR-R (final)

The heats and semifinals of the women’s 200 meter individual medley are not scheduled on Day 1 of the 2024 Summer Olympics as opposed to the World Aquatics Championships.

Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
Reply to  Swimfan
5 months ago
Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
Reply to  Swimmerfan
5 months ago

Whoa!

That’s triple expresso Gold Medal Mel.

Swimdad
5 months ago

Can we finally say Simone is BACK! Fully tapered she goes low 52 to earn a relay spot, making team USA a favorite in the women’s 400FR relays.

Mark69
Reply to  Swimdad
5 months ago

She would need to swim 51.8 at trials for the US to even be close to favouritism for the relay in Paris.

Andy
Reply to  Mark69
5 months ago

In the past 12 months alone, MOC has been 52.0, Shayna 52.2, and Emma and Meg have been 52.5 individually

If MOC leads off again, it’s not out of the question that all 4 swimmers have 51 second splits (their average last year was 51.99).

Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
Reply to  Mark69
5 months ago

Simone Manuel’s fastest relay split in the women’s 4 x 100 meter relays is 51.86 dated 28 Jul 2019.

Swimfan
Reply to  Mark69
5 months ago

Not really Simone knows to to race at the right time when in matters all three times she Broke the American record I didn’t think she swim that fast honestly based on her in season swimming’s but she knows how to tapper and she knows how to swim fast in championships final when needed so is she goes 52.6 or something anc still nabs the individual I would not be suprise if she broke the world record or come close to it

Andy
Reply to  Swimdad
5 months ago

If Simone goes low 52 she’s getting an individual swim lol

Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
Reply to  Andy
5 months ago

The U.S. Open Record is 52.54 set by Simone Manuel at the 2018 Phillips 66 National Championships. If anyone will break the aforementioned record it will be Kate Douglass or Simone Manuel or both by a smidge.

Admin
Reply to  Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
5 months ago

I think Gretchen could get there too.

Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
Reply to  Braden Keith
5 months ago

One year too early.

Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
Reply to  Swimdad
5 months ago

Simone Manuel’s fastest time in the 100 FR on domestic soil is 52.54 which incidentally is the U.S. Open Record.

About Anya Pelshaw

Anya Pelshaw

Anya has been with SwimSwam since June 2021 as both a writer and social media coordinator. She was in attendance at the 2022, 2023, and 2024 Women's NCAA Championships writing and doing social media for SwimSwam. She also attended 2023 US Summer Nationals as well as the 2024 European Championships …

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