In what will be just her 4th meet back from double shoulder surgery, 5-time Olympic champion Missy Franklin is entered in just the 100 and 200 freestyle for next week’s US National Championships in Irvine, California. That’s a significantly pared-down schedule for the 23-year old without any backstroke events.
Franklin is the 52nd seed in the 100 free (56.32) and the 14th seed in the 200 free (1:58.91). Both times were swum in her only other racing of the last two years – the Mare Nostrum series – with both races coming in the first stop in Canet.
Franklin’s lifetime bests in both events were done at the 2013 World Championships: 53.36 in the 100 free and 1:54.81 in the 200 free. She didn’t have a Nationals qualifying time in the 100 back (1:03.14, off of 1:02.99), though she did in the 200 back (2:13.14, under the requisite 2:15.59).
In her first swimming back, her 200s overall seemed to perform better than her 100s. The 4th seed in the 200 free at Nationals is Mallory Comerford in 1:56.95, which is the target to make the Pan Pacs team. Franklin could place in the top 6 in the 200 free (currently seeded as Allison Schmitt in 1:57.21) at Nationals, and if she’s not bumped by someone at Pan Pacs, could earn a spot on the 2019 World Championship team that way. She’s also still a student, so a couple of USA Swimming’s ‘minor’ national teams, including the 2018 Short Course World Championships, 2019 Pan American Games, and 2019 World University Games are still in play.
Franklin is now training and attending classes at the University of Georgia after swimming 2 years in the NCAA at Cal. She is now a pro, and is no longer eligible to compete for Georgia’s varsity team, but World University Games selection makes no consideration for NCAA eligibility or amateur status.
Missy Franklin’s 2018 U.S. Nationals Entries By Day (Prelims Start Time)
Day 1 – Wednesday, July 25th
- 100 free – 9:50AM (#52 seed – 56.32)
Day 2 – Thursday, July 26th
- 200 free – 9:00AM (#14 seed – 1:58.91)
Doesn’t have the underwater speed to compete with the top American backstrokers right now. Hopefully, the Georgia crew can work on those and she’ll be back in the hunt soon.
YOZHIC wonders why anyone cares about MF, while posting more comments on the story than anyone else.
You didn’t get it. My entire point is that there is No story about MF (as you call her saving your time). Whoever responded to me found no other story to tell but personal attacks.
I would not be the least surprised to see a top 4 finish from her in the 200 free. Even if she “only” goes 1:57, that’s a solid base to build off of going into the back half of the quad. As long as she can keep her mindset under control and not put too much pressure on herself (and keep her body healthy), she’s gonna be a contender for 2020.
Here we go!…
Forget Pan Pac, forget Gwangju. 2020 is the target now.
I had no doubts it will come up. But not from you. Haven’t you been in the same situation in 2015 being fed by promises of 2016. Don’t you have something more real to believe in? Doesn’t your scientific approach to dissect swimming events help you to see the reality about Melissa Franklin? Her bright and not short at all as many think career as elite competitive swimmer came to the end. Don’t be in denial.
What an Inspiration to the rest of the country. I personally do not care if she goes 2:05 in the 200 free. The fact that she is battling and not afraid to compete shows every swimmer in the country that no matter what happens one can persevere!!! Thank you, Missy, for being a role model for every swimmer in the country again!!
Huge fan. I hope she cranks out fast times and has fun. She’s awesome!
I think it will be close but if she can make the A final I think she gets top 6 at 157 low.
Go Missy!!!! definitely pulling for you to do great at Nationals.
Only Missy knows what kind of mental and physical shape she’s in, and why she wants to keep swimming.
But, it’s hard for someone that won so big in the past to be satisfied with just competing again and maybe making the finals.
Missy knows how to swim a 200 free, so she’s got a shot in that event.
Stick a fork in her – she done