Kelsi Worrell Moves To #5 All-Time With 56.44 100 Fly Prelim

2017 FINA WORLD SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Sunday, July 23rd – Sunday, July 30th
• Budapest, Hungary
• LCM (50m)
• Full Competition Schedule
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• Pick ’em Contest
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American Kelsi Worrell started off her 2017 World Championship with a bang, registering a PB of 56.44 in the women’s 100 fly prelims to qualify 2nd for the semi-finals. That swim lowers her old best of 56.48 done at the 2016 Olympic Trials, and makes her the 5th fastest performer in history, moving past Olympic silver medalist Penny Oleksiak (56.46).

The swim is almost a full second better than Worrell was to win the U.S. Trials in June (57.38). She inches closer to the American Record of 55.98, set by Dana Vollmer in 2012.

Leading the prelim was defending champ Sarah Sjostrom of Sweden, who registered the 9th fastest performance in history in 55.96. She owns the world record at 55.48 from the 2016 Olympics, and has been as fast as 55.76 this season.

Here’s a look at updated top ten performers of all-time in this event:

1. Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), 55.48, 2016
2. Dana Vollmer (USA), 55.98, 2012
3. Liu Zige (CHN), 56.07, 2009
4. Jessicah Schipper (AUS), 56.23, 2009
5. Kelsi Worrell (USA), 56.44, 2017
6. Penny Oleksiak (CAN), 56.46, 2016
7. Jeanette Ottesen (DEN), 56.51, 2014
8. (T-8) Inge de Bruijn (NED), 56.61, 2000
9. (T-8) Chen Xinyi (CHN), 56.61, 2014
10. Marleen Veldhuis (NED), 56.69, 2009

Oleksiak qualified 5th overall this morning in 57.51, with Australia’s Emma McKeon equalling her best time for 3rd in 56.81 and Japan’s Rikako Ikee 4th in 57.45.

Worrell is slated to compete in the women’s 4×100 free prelims later on in the session.