MacNeil Caps Triple With Fastest 100 FL Split All-Time, 49.10 (Art Adamson Day 1 Recap)

ART ADAMSON INVITATIONAL

• November 16 – 18, 2022
• Texas A&M, College Station, TX
• 25 Yards
• Results: “Art Adamson Invitational” on MeetMobile
• Day 1 Prelims Recap

Maggie MacNeil Hits the Ground Running

Maggie MacNeil wasted no time making a statement at the Art Adamson Invitational. She swam a triple tonight and each of her swims were impressive. First, she split 20.59 on the 200 freestyle relay, which is the 10th fastest split all-time and makes her the seventh fastest performer. MacNeil didn’t often get a chance to show off her speed with a relay start at Michigan, as she typically led off the relay. She teamed with Katarina Milutinovich, Peyton Curry, and Michaela De Villiers post 1:27.63, hitting an NCAA ‘A’ cut after LSU had no relays qualify last year.

She backed up that split with a lifetime best 21.03 in the individual 50 freestyle. Not only does that tie Erika Brown‘s SEC record, it also makes her the fourth fastest performer all-time, bringing her closer to joining the sub-21 second club.

She closed out the night by blazing a 49.10 butterfly split on the 400 medley relay–the fastest 100 fly split in history. Brown swam 49.11 at 2018 SECs, so she just out-touched her for the record. Earlier this season, we saw MacNeil briefly hold the record for fastest unsuited 100 fly time in 50.84. In this relay, she was out in 22.71 and came back in 26.39. Similar to how she usually led off the 200 free relay, swimming the fly leg is relatively new for MacNeil. At Michigan, she would usually swim backstroke while Olivia Carter handled fly duties.

We’re only one day into this meet, but MacNeil has thrown down the gauntlet early.

Brooks Curry Posts First Sub-19 50 Free of the Season

MacNeil wasn’t the only LSU swimmer dropping fast times this session. Olympian and defending NCAA champion Brooks Curry ripped 18.94 to win the 50 freestyle. That’s the first time someone’s been under 19 seconds this season, and improves upon the fastest time in country which he set in prelims at 19.12.

It’s not a best time, but it’s a strong mid-season swim for Curry. At this meet last year, he posted 19.14, 19.09, and 19.30. Therefore, this marks a huge improvement for him for this point in the season. He didn’t lead off the 200 free relay this year, but he did split a speedy 18.38, which was the fastest in the field by a considerable margin. He helped LSU to a second place finish in the relay in 1:17.95, just .10 seconds behind Alabama.

Baylor Nelson Swims Personal Best in the 200 IM

The Texas A&M men put on a show in the 200 IM, sweeping the first four spots and also claiming sixth and seventh. Leading the way was freshman Baylor Nelson, who was SwimSwam’s #1 recruit in his high school class. The Aggies are counting on Nelson to stop their free fall down the national standings, which began after Shaine Casas turned pro. He’s shown that he could be the answer they were looking for, winning the 200 IM in 1:41.83.

It’s a personal best for him and his first time under 1:42. His previous mark stood at 1:42.01 from December 2021. The time also checks in as the current fastest time in the country, though Leon Marchand is in action at the Wolfpack Invite this weekend and might have something to say about that.

Chloe Stepanek Pulls Rangy Quadruple

MacNeil pulled off an impressive triple, but she wasn’t the one with the most swims of the session. Aggie junior Chloe Stepanek navigated four swims on day 1: she was a part of both the 200 free and 400 medley relay, and raced the 500 free and 50 free individually.

She got started with a 21.92 50 free split to help the Aggies finish fourth in the 200 free relay. She was back up in the next event, where she added .38 seconds in the 500 free, clocking 4:44.06 for third place behind Marlene Kahler and Kensey McMahon. After a break for the 200 IM, she placed sixth in the 50 free with a 22.43, then finished the session by anchoring the medley relay in 47.71.

More Event Winners

• Isabelle Odgers earned the win in the women’s 200 IM in 1:55.84, about a second ahead of Ryan White. It’s a lifetime best for Odgers, shaving .02 seconds off the time she went at Pac-12s in March. White, who we’re used to seeing swim backstroke while representing the U.S internationally, also went a best time. Her 1:56.82 cuts 1.44 seconds off her previous best of 1:58.26 from the 2021 Tennessee Invitational.
• The USC women got the better of Alabama in the women’s 200 free relay, beating them 1:27.38 to 1:27.56. Anicka Delgado led things off for them, followed by Elise Garcia, Hanna Henderson, and Kaitlyn Dobler. Dobler anchored them in 21.37, then later split a 56.74 100 breast on the 400 medley relay, which ties for 10th fastest all-time. It’s faster than she split at NCAAs last year, where she posted 57.04.
• Alabama’s quartet of White, Avery Wiseman, Morgan Scott, and Kalia Antoniou won the 400 medley relay in 3:29.87. On the men’s side, Alabama’s ‘A’ relay was disqualified, so it was Texas A&M who went 1-2, touching in 3:04.08 and 3:07.37, respectively. The Aggies ‘A’ relay was particularly impressive, as 3:04.08 is over a second faster than what they went at 2022 NCAAs.
• Alabama senior Victor Johansson won the men’s 400 free easily. He touched in 4:14.34, more than two seconds ahead of runner up Charlie Hawke, an Alabama sophomore. That’s about a second off the Swede’s lifetime best of 4:13.30, which he posted in 2019 while swimming for USC. Despite not being a best time, it is an Alabama school record.