Arizona State’s Erica Laning Goes Sub-2 Minutes in 200 Free Time Trial

2018 USA SWIMMING NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS – TIME TRIALS

• July 25th-29th, 2018
• Meet Mobile search: “Time Trials -2018 Phillips 66 National Champs,” or to shortcut, “Irvine”

In Thursday’s preliminary session at the 2018 USA Swimming National Championships, 22 swimmers went under 2 minutes in the 200 free (albeit only one of them, Claire Tuggle, who is a junior). That’s almost a 50% jump from the number (15) who were sub-2 minutes in prelims at last year’s meet.

In Thursday afternoon’s time trials, the number grew by one, making 23 swimmers in total on the day who were under the mark. There, 19-year old Arizona State swimmer Erica Laning swam a 1:59.96 to join that group. The time is just short of her personal best of 1:59.82, done in 2016 while in high school; she didn’t have a Nationals qualifying time in the qualifying period in the event.

Other Friday Time Trials Highlights:

• Michigan’s Alex King  took more than 3 seconds off his lifetime best in the 200 free and swam a 1:51.90; Lleyton Plattel was just .01 seconds behind, which ties him for 43rd all-time among Americans in the 15-16 age group.
• Ethan Heasley tied US National Teamer Tim Phillips as the 80th-fastest 15-16 ever in the 100 fly with a 55.14 time trial.
• 15-year old Abby Gibbons time trialed the 200 fly and finished in 2:13.43. The only 15-year-old-or-younger to go faster than her at this meet is Lillie Nordmann, who was a 2:10.30 to tie for 8th in yesterday’s prelims before losing a swim-off to bump down to the B Final. Both swimmers turn 16 in August. This swim for Gibbons, who trains with the Blue Dolfins in Florida, is a lifetime best, and is a four-second improvement from her swim in the 200 fly prelims on Wednesday.