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Molly Batchelor Bounces Back At Pac-12s With Bronze Medal Swim In 500 Freestyle

2023 WOMEN’S PAC-12 CHAMPIONSHIPS

Arizona State University senior Molly Batchelor swam her way to a bronze medal in the women’s 500 freestyle on night two of the 2023 Pac-12 Championships. Batchelor delivered a 4:39.54 to narrowly out-touch Stanford’s Aurora Roghair (4:39.77) and Cal’s Ayla Spitz (4:39.93). Lindsay Looney, also from ASU took gold with a 4:38.29 and Morgan Tankersley earned silver for Stanford with a 4:38.36.

Women’s 500 Freestyle Top 8

  1. Lindsay Looney (ASU) – 4:38.29
  2. Morgan Tankersley (STAN) – 4:38.36
  3. Molly Batchelor (ASU) – 4:39.54
  4. Aurora Roghair (STAN) – 4:39.77
  5. Ayla Spitz (CAL) – 4:39.93
  6. Mia Motekaitis (CAL) – 4:41.44
  7. Kayla Wilson (STAN) – 4:42.78
  8. Natalie Mannion (STAN) – 4:43.27

What’s most significant about this performance by Batchelor is how much of an improvement it is from her performance at this meet last year. Batchelor was a bit off her best in 2022 when she swam a 4:57.63 to place 34th overall in the event, which was well off her lifetime best at the time of 4:44.03 from the year before.

Batchelor went from 9th in the event in 2021 to 34th in 2022 to 3rd in 2023. Earlier this season Batchelor got her PB down to a 4:42.30 and with this Pac-12s swim has cracked the 4:40 mark for the first time. Batchelor is still a bit over the 4:35.76 NCAA A cut in the event but might end up getting a shot at racing it next month.

Batchelor’s bounce-back swim in 2023 marks the first time that she’s medalled in the 500 freestyle at this meet. She and teammate Linday Looney made it a 2/3 showing for ASU in the event as Looney hit a 4:38.92 for the win.

Batchelor finished in a similar position to that of the 500 in the 100 and 200 freestyles at Pac-12s last year, ending up 30th and 28th, respectively. Her improvement from 34th to 3rd in the 500, along with her times from this season thus far indicate that she could be looking to climb the rankings in her next two events.

Check-in to follow along with the 200 freestyle during day three prelims at 1:30 pm EST on Friday.

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MrWorldwide
1 year ago

Molly has a phenomenal year !! She’s definitely one to be excited about!

aussies
1 year ago

This is great to see. She disappeared from Australian swimming in 2018 and didn’t resurface back into the sport until she joined the college scene in 2021. She was a contender for the Olympics and commonwealth games. Would be great to see her get back there to that level

Sal
1 year ago

She is an insane racer, given she was one of the top juniors in the world a few years back — I would be on the look out for her rising up again.

OldNotDead
1 year ago

Don’t all 8 in the A-final get medals? While 3rd is a bronze position, the article implies only the top 3 earn medals. While it’s the 1st time she medaled in this event, the 5 that finished behind her also medaled.

John
Reply to  OldNotDead
1 year ago

I’ve never heard of top 8 medaling before. only top 3. They do get All-American status as a finalist I believe (I’m canadian, not super up on that)

SeattleSwimFan
Reply to  OldNotDead
1 year ago

No. PAC-12 gives only 3 awards for each event.

CalTears
Reply to  OldNotDead
1 year ago

Not in the Pac-12. Only the top 3 get trophies

OldNotDead
Reply to  CalTears
1 year ago

thanks for clarification.

RealSlimThomas
1 year ago

They must have something like a template for a lot of these conference articles, and I can’t blame them because this is a very busy time of year for reporting. I agree though…I read that over a few times to make sure I wasn’t missing something.

Frank Paul
1 year ago

Well done MM so proud of your never say die strength and determination xxx

dscott
1 year ago

That’s a great water photo shot at the top of the page … but can you really tell who is behind the splash? lol

dscott
1 year ago

Thanks for noticing Batchelor’s SCY progression this year. But there might be more in the offing, now that she has developed a little momentum and likely growing confidence. Before Aussie Molly came to the USA she had a meet in April, 2017 (GHF Australian Age Group Champs) which produced LCM times of :55.64, 2:00.31 and 4:09.23.

Putting these through Swimulator reflects: SCY at :48.44, 1:45.01, 4:37.44.

She hadn’t really been back at the level of those 2017 swims in recent years, but something in her heart, health and the energy around the ASU program this year has put her back near her former track; Now she seems a snowball rolling down hill fast.

She had twice been 4:44+… Read more »

Dmath
Reply to  dscott
1 year ago

Bruh who are you, why do you know so much about this girl

CalTears
Reply to  dscott
1 year ago

She is definitely one to watch out for. A huge dark horse that can shake things up a lot in the next two years

About Braden Keith

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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