Katie Hoff made it clear after the Mesa Grand Prix that she would be sticking to local invite meets until Nationals. She may not be swimming against the nation’s best at these Miami meets but it doesn’t seem to matter; she’s still putting up impressive times.
Hoff is currently swimming at the Gulliver Long Course Invitational in Miami and has already bested her times from Mesa. In the 200 free she cruised to the victory in a quick 1:58.99, dropping almost a second from April. That time would’ve placed her third at the Charlotte Grand Prix behind Katinka Hosszu and Allison Schmitt. She was out in 27.7 and then 29.7, pushing a 57.4 at the 100. With no one to race, she came back in 30.6 and 30.8. Coming home strong and not falling off on the last fifty shows that her endurance is getting back to where it needs to be.
Next up for Hoff was the 100 breast, an event we don’t usually see her swim. Despite the unfamiliarity, she swam a 1:10.58, a time most breaststrokers would love to be going for this time of the year. While she most likely wouldn’t have swum this at Charlotte, she would’ve scored herself a spot in the top 8 with that time.
The Gulliver LC Invite is scheduled for today and tomorrow with both a morning and afternoon session. Hoff is slated to swim the 200 IM, 100 fly, and 100 back the rest of the weekend. We’ll keep you updated as results become available.
1.58 at a local meet?
😯
🙂
WOW! WOW! WOW! WOW!
And 1.10 on breaststroke is very decent too.
I want so badly to see her in the US 4X200 free relay dream team with Missy Franklin, Katie Ledecky and Allison Schmitt!
It’s not possible to see such a talent without any olympic gold medal.
She deserves that gold. Even if it’s only in relay. It will repair a big injustice.
There have been plenty more serious injustice in swimming than Hoff not winning Olympics gold.
Just to name a few:
Franzi Van Almsick never won olympics gold, Jenny Thompson never won individual olympics gold, Tom Jager never won olympics 50 free gold, etc etc.
I think everyone is rooting for her to get back where she was, and possibly be better than she was. It was interesting to watch her yesterday with all of the younger swimmers: she was very patient with each and every younger swimmer who wanted a photo with her and who wanted an autograph. She is the closest thing to a “swimming rock star” in the Miami area, and we all wish her well.
For Bobo – I took some video of her start of the 200 but it is in slow motion video and would clog the bandwidth on this site.
She will surely be way better considering the time she had to learn life lessons between 2008 and 2014 . Like for Ervin , she looks to be way happier and imporving pretty fast . With Schmitty and Katie back , the 800 free relay with Franklin and Ledecky will most probably be unbeatable for some time . They will Crush that ugly rubber suit Chinese WR without a doubt by this summer most probably . Way to go Katie ….
Interesting. My daughter had a completely different interaction with her at the Winter Champs in Broward in Nov. 2013. After patiently waiting for her turn to take a photo with Katie, my daughter’s turn was finally up. She was the last one in line. No one else was around at that point, literally. For some reason, Katie refused. She told my daughter she was “tired” and had to go — right then, apparently. Even her handler/boyfriend/bodyguard (not sure which) gave her a bewildered stare and said, “But she’s the only one left!” She still refused. It was the oddest thing. My 11-year-old daughter was crushed. I know the demands on these elite athletes are great, but would an extra 15… Read more »
Well, that’s disappointing to read. I guess they can’t all be Missy Franklin.
so happy for Katie. I wish her nothing but the best. I completely think she was unfairly criticized for her performance in the ’08 games: which let’s face it, swimmer or swammer, most of us would have (all but) killed for.
It’s simple. The magical suits have killed her in 2008.
It has transformed some of her biggest rivals into olympic champions.
She was well ahead before the suits and the suits have changed everything for her.
I hate the magical suits! 😡
I beg to differ.
They were all wearing the same exact suits, and in fact, Hoff along with many other top US swimmers got their first hand racing in LZR as early as February in Missouri grand prix. US swimmers were prioritized by Speedo. So when a US swimmer lost in LZR, then it’s LZR fault, but when they win in LZR, it is none of their/LZR fault, and it is the fault of other swimmers
Rice was totally at the peak of her swimming career where she didn’t have any trouble from injuries. She swam 4:37 untapered in Japan Open in August after 4:40 in March Worlds. So she was improving leap and bounds. And even after multiple… Read more »
Forget Phelps, this is the comeback I am truly watching hoping for the best!