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Watch: Maggie MacNeil Blasts 20.79 To Reset 50 Freestyle NCAA & US Open Record

2023 NCAA WOMEN’S SWIMMING AND DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

Maggie MacNeil swam her way to victory in the women’s 50 freestyle at the 2023 NCAA Championships, establishing a new NCAA record of 20.79. MacNeil took the record in the event from Gretchen Walsh who swam a 20.83 at the 2023 ACC Championships last month. The swim is also a new US Open record.

Prior to Walsh’s swim, Kate Douglass held the NCAA record at a 20.84, which she posted at the 2022 NCAA Championships. Douglass’ meet record was also taken out here by MacNeil’s 20.79. As MacNeil is a Canadian, Walsh retains the American record at a 20.83.

Walsh was present in this historic heat and swam in lane 4, next to MacNeil who raced in lane 5. Walsh threw down a 20.85 to slightly miss that American record she set a few weeks ago. Walsh took silver and Louisville junior Gabi Albiero swam a 21.30 for the bronze medal.

MacNeil and Walsh both disrupted the all-time rankings in the women’s 50 freestyle, hitting the #1 and #4 times in history. The top four times ever in the 50 freestyle now come from the past two years.

Fastest All-Time Performers, Women’s 50 Free:

  1. Maggie MacNeil – 20.79 (2023)
  2. Gretchen Walsh – 20.83 (2023)
  3. Kate Douglass  – 20.84 (2022)
  4. Gretchen Walsh – 20.85 (2023)
  5. Abbey Weitzeil – 20.90 (2019)
  6. Erika Brown (2020)/Maggie MacNeil (2022) – 21.03

You can watch MacNeil’s race here:

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jim
1 year ago

wow….great race overall, but that 2nd 25 breakout stroke was flawless!

IndividualMedleyEnjoyer
1 year ago

Saw that stroke rate and had to check my settings to make sure it wasn’t sped up. Jesus Christ

Seth
1 year ago

5 swimmers under 21 in the 50 free. Wow

Mike McCormack
1 year ago

Maggie Double Mac!! So calm while we Tiger fans out here are losing it! What an epic tomorrow; what an absolute epic. It’s going to take 48.5 or 6, I think. Victoria, also, is on her best form, and well could be significantly sub-49. The fans are the big winners yet again… if they can hold their composure!

jeff
1 year ago

would be funny if douglass led off in 20.82 and then Walsh went 20.81 next year

Mrworldwide
1 year ago

Maggie Two 3 weeks ago: “I want to leave on my terms”

the TERMS 20.79

Wahooswimfan
1 year ago

If Douglas leads off the UVA free relay, this record could be very short-lived.

Stephen Strange
Reply to  Wahooswimfan
1 year ago

This aged like milk

Steve Nolan
Reply to  Stephen Strange
1 year ago

wait isn’t that like, cheese

Kat
Reply to  Wahooswimfan
1 year ago

*laughing in macneil’s not short-lived 20.79*

bubo
1 year ago

Crazy how fast that Lara Jackson record fell down the all-time list

Waterbear13
Reply to  bubo
1 year ago

Same with Freddy Bousquet. They both were head and shoulders above their competition in the 2000s.

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Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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