U.S. Nationals, Day 5 Finals: McKenzie Siroky Punches Worlds Ticket With Swim-Off Win; Erin Gemmell Tops 200 Free Tiebreaker
Several roster decisions for the U.S. World Championships team remained unsettled headed into the last night of competition at U.S. Nationals, and those were sorted out in a series of swim-offs at the start of the session. The swim-offs went in order of increasing consequence, determining a spot on the World University Games team, then a priority order for Worlds and next year’s Pan Pacific Championships. Finally, a head-to-head matchup in the women’s 50 breaststroke determined one swimmer to make it to Singapore and the other to be left behind.
McKenzie Siroky and Emma Weber faced off after both swam times of 30.27 in the event’s final, a mark surpassed by only Lilly King. But in the rematch, Siroky jumped out to an advantage off the start and never allowed Weber to get back into contention. A perfect finish brought Siroky to the wall in 30.05, a half-second ahead of Weber’s 30.55.
Siroky celebrated her World Championships qualification emphatically, smashing the water and making the Power T symbol representative of the University of Tennessee. Siroky jumped to No. 5 in the world with her victorious effort.
Both Siroky and Weber were aiming to qualify for their first World Championships teams, with Siroky in position to make an international roster for the first time in her career while Weber was trying to back up a surprise Olympic appearance in the 100 breast. Both swimmers finished out of contention in Friday’s 100-meter final, so this race was a winner-take-all situation.
Immediately before that winner-take-all breaststroke showdown, Erin Gemmell and Anna Peplowski faced off in the women’s 200 freestyle. The two teammates on U.S. 800 free relays at the Paris Olympics and 2023 World Championships each recorded times of 1:55.82 for fourth place Wednesday evening, and here, Gemmell overcame a partisan crowd favoring her Indiana Hoosier competitor to lead the entire race.
Gemmell swam a time of 1:55.23, a lifetime best and faster than the times posted by Katie Ledecky and Torri Huske for second and third, respectively, in the 200 free final. Gemmell’s time made her the third-fastest swimmer in the world this year. Peplowski came in at 1:55.70, also ahead of her mark from the individual final, and she moved to No. 6 in the world rankings.
After Gemmell and Peplowski tied for fourth in the event’s final, a swim-off was necessary to break the tie even though both were certain to make the Singapore roster. The swim-off determines who is the fourth-ranked swimmer in the event for future national team implications, potentially including next year’s Pan Pacific Championships. Claire Weinstein, Ledecky and Huske occupy the top-three slots. There is a chance both Ledecky and Huske later scratch the individual event at Worlds, which could put Gemmell in position for an individual swim.
The first of the night’s tiebreakers was for 13th place in the men’s 200 free between Jake Mitchell and Baylor Nelson. Both swam the 800 free relay at the 2023 World Championships, and they were competing for priority in selection for upcoming World University Games. Mitchell ended up leading that swim-off for the entire distance, holding off a late push from Nelson at the start of the final lap. Mitchell clocked 1:46.34 to Nelson’s 1:47.06, with both men surpassing their times of 1:47.38 from the event’s B-final. Mitchell crushed his previous season-best of 1:46.87, achieved in Wednesday’s prelims.
