2022 FINA WORLD CUP – INDIANAPOLIS
- Thursday, November 3 – Saturday, November 5, 2022
- Indiana University Natatorium, Indianapolis, IN
- SCM (25 meters)
- Meet Central
- Psych Sheet
- Live Results (Omega)
- Live Stream
Twelve minutes of rest was plenty of time for Bella Sims on Friday night.
The 17-year-old Sandpipers of Nevada standout broke two world junior records with just one event separating them at the World Cup stop in Indianapolis, the latest example of the future Florida swimmer’s burgeoning potential.
Sims started her night with a 1:52.59 in the 200 free, shooting off the blocks fast and maintaining second place through the 100-meter mark before fading to fourth place heading into the final 50. She lowered the previous record of 1:52.85 set by Kayla Sanchez in 2018. Taylor Ruck went 1:52.50 in 2016, but it was never ratified.
Just 12 minutes later, Sims returned to the pool as the top qualifier in the 100 back. In a stroke she’s not typically known for, she blazed a 55.75 to crush Mie Nielsen’s nine-year-old world junior record (55.99) and in the process beat two-time reigning champion Beata Nelson for the title. Sims was .28 seconds behind Nelson at the final turn, but her last underwater helped her rally from fourth place and pull even for the last sprint.
“It was really stressful before,” Sims said after her double. “I didn’t know how it was going to turn out. But I think our training prepares us for anything and that really came in clutch.”
“Discovering she’s a backstroker is pretty exciting,” said Nelson, who was less than two-tenths away from a $10,000 Triple Crown bonus.
Sims has only swam the 100 back twice (including prelims this morning), and she already ranks as the 15th-fastest performer of all time. Her 200 free swim placed her 20th in the all-time rankings. The Tokyo Olympic silver medalist made her short-course debut on Thursday and snagged a silver medal in the 400 free behind Katie Ledecky.
Sims’ Sandpipers teammate, Katie Grimes, also broke a world junior record earlier in the day on Friday in the 1500 free.
Creep.
Which is all that really matters in life for women. That and finding a husband to support them….
We let them out of their cages to exercise occasionally
Another reason to switch to scm for major short courae meets in the US, like NCAA DI or Sr Nats.
Laure Manaudou vibes
I think it’s hilarious that Bella set 2 in less time than it took Katie to set 1
How soon before SwimSwam commentators/couch coaches switch from USRPT fans to extreme yardage fans?
When were they ever USRPT fans?
Michael Phelps type beat lmao
Starting to get the feeling that she’s either gonna go pro or defer her enrollment.