Hali Flickinger on US Open Record: “It’s a relief” (Video)

2018 U.S. NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Wednesday, July 25 – Sunday, July 29, 2018
• William Woollett Aquatics Center, Irvine, CA
• Prelims 9 AM / Finals 6 PM (U.S. Pacific Time)
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^{Reported by Lauren Neidigh.}

WOMEN’S 200 FLY:

• World Record: 2:01.81- Liu Zige, 2009
• American Record: 2:04.14- Mary Descenza, 2009
• Championship Record: 2:05.87- Hali Flickinger, 2018
• U.S. Open Record: 2:05.87- Hali Flickinger, 2018

1. GOLD: Hali Flickinger– 2:06.14
2. SILVER: Katie Drabot– 2:07.18
3. BRONZE: Regan Smith– 2:07.42
4. FOURTH: Dakota Luther– 2:08.09

After breaking the 37-year-old U.S. open Record this morning, Georgia’s Hali Flickinger got the job done in finals. Through the 50, Flickinger and Drabot were under American Record pace. Flickinger held the lead with a 1:00.01 halfway and was just a tenth shy of American Record pace at the 150, followed very closely by Drabot. Flickinger pulled further ahead down the final stretch, winning the race in 2:06.14.

It wound up being a close race for 2nd between Drabot (2:07.18) and 16-year-old Regan Smith(2:07.42). Drabot held her off down the final 50 meters as they both went lifetime bests. Dakota Luther, who represented the U.S. at Worlds last summer, also reached in for a top 4 spit in 2:08.09. That was her best time by over half a second, beating the 2:08.71 she swam to qualify for Worlds in 2017.

In the B final, Lillie Nordmann and Allie Piccirillo (2:11.30) were out front through the halfway point, but 16-year-old Lindsay Looney ran them down to win the heat in 2:10.03, followed by Alicia Finnigan (2:10.50). In her 3rd 200 fly of the day, Nordmann clipped her best in 2:10.64.