Stanford’s Simone Manuel Breaks American Record in 100 Free at Art Adamson Invite

Stanford freshman Simone Manuel has broken the American Record in the women’s 100 yard freestyle in College Station, Texas at the 2014 Art Adamson Invitational.

Manuel swam a 46.62 to break her own American Record of 46.75, though the all-time best (U.S. Open Record) belonging to Auburn’s Arianna Vanderpool-Wallace remains in-tact in 46.61.

Manuel’s swim is also a new United States 17-18 National Age Group Record in the event.

A partials comparison between Manuel’s old American Record and new American Record in the race:

• Manuel old American Record: 22.43/24.32 = 46.75
• Manuel new American Record: 22.50/24.12 = 46.62

With swims that tight, the splits don’t always reveal a ton, because the margins are so narrow. Manuel’s by-25 splits, however, are bit more telling: 10.75/11.75/12.17/11.95. As compared to Vanderpool-Wallace, who was going out in under 22, Manuel is much more of a back-half swimmer (though going out in 22.5 is still an incredible achievement). The eye-test revealed that too, as Manuel’s lead grew as the race went on.