The first two days of women’s competition at the United States National Championships have featured several impressive performances – not surprisingly – from University of Virginia athletes. Already, titles have been claimed by Anna Moesch (100 freestyle/200 freestyle), Isabelle Stadden (200 backstroke) and Sophia Umstead (200 breaststroke), with Moesch setting an American record in the 100 free.
The UVA roll could continue when the Day Three preliminaries get underway at the William Woollett Aquatics Center in Irvine, California. The Cavaliers have multiple high seeds in the 400 individual medley in Katie Grimes and Umstead, while Stadden heads into the 50 backstroke with the No. 1 entry time. There will also be preliminary action in the 100 butterfly and 50 breaststroke.
Here is an event-by-event recap of the Day Three prelims:
Women’s 400 Individual Medley
Olympian Katie Grimes put together a strong 400 IM prelims swim, getting to the wall in 4:35.98.
Her time was three seconds ahead of the field, which featured several under-18 swimmers.
Sydney Schoeck took the second seed in 4:38.92, followed by Teagan O’Dell (4:40.32), Emily Brown (4:40.76) and Sadie Buckley (4:42.03). l
Sandpipers’ Bella Sims took the sixth seed in 4:42 to make the finals.
Women’s 100 Butterfly
After winning the 200 butterfly, Michigan’s Hannah Bellard set herself up for a run at another title, but Bailey Hartman will be one of the swimmers looking to spoil the double.
Hartman took the top seed into tonight’s final with a swim of 58.23.
Bellard was next at 58.31, followed by a couple of under-18 stars, Charlotte Crush (58.77) and Audrey Derivaux (59.01).
Virginia’s Anna Moesch, who won the 100 and 200 freestyles already this meet, was seventh-fastest in the event at 59.10, just behind Mizuki Hirai (59.03) and Wolfpack’s Erika Pelaez (59.04) and just ahead of Texas’ Campbell Stoll (59.13).
Rachel Klinker won the swim-off to earn a spot in the A final.
Women’s 50 Breaststroke
Tennessee’s McKenzie Siroky continued to show why she is one of the best sprint breaststrokers in the country.
She took the top seed in the 50 breast with a swim of 29.87, the only swimmer in the field to break 30 seconds in the morning session.
Indiana’s Anita Bottazzo was about a half second behind, getting to the wall in 30.32, ahead of Texas’ Piper Enge (30.64), Alto’s Lucy Thomas (30.77) and Ohio State’s Maria Ramos Najji (30.80), who was also under 31.
Women’s 50 Backstroke
Another day, another stellar performance from Isabelle Stadden.
The Aquajets swimmer raced to the top seed in the 50 back, getting to the wall in 27.21, the only swimmer under 28.
Wolfpack Elite put three in the finals with Rhyan White taking the second seed in 28.17, Kennedy Noble the fourth (28.25) and Erika Pelaez the eighth (28.32).
Wisconsin’s Maggie Wanezek grabbed the third seed with a swim o f28.21. Emily Jones and Morgan Scott tied for the fifth seed at 28.28, just ahead of Alabama’s Cadence Vincent (28.30).
