5 Barriers to Break at Women"s NCAA Championships
Women's NCAA begins March 19th and will have plenty of fast and exciting swims! In this competition there will be a fierce team battle, but also the opportunity for many swimmers to perform NCAA records and break huge barriers. Barriers in swimming are set times, deemed impossible not long ago. For example, a woman breaking 1:50 in the 200-yard backstroke seemed impossible, but now a 1:47 is the NCAA record. These are the truly exceptional races and moments of big meets.
Remember, NCAA will consist of tons of fast racing, but here are the top 5 barriers to break at Women's NCAA Champions.
For more information on the NCAA qualifiers, check out the NCAA page.
Missy has flirted with the 1:40 barrier in the past, but fell shy of the mark. This year she will be pushed by Simone Manuel, the former American Record holder in the 100-yard free. This will certainly be an amazing race, but could also result in one or both of these ladies breaking the difficult 1:40 200-yard freestyle barrier.
No female has ever broken :50 in the 100-yard butterfly and the NCAA record by Natalie Coughlin is from 2002! Kelsi has a great shot of being the first woman under this mark, after posting an 50.17 at her conference meet a few weeks ago. Worrell is the clear favorite in the event and will certainly flirt with this amazing mark.
Another of Coughlin's records being threatened is the 100-yard backstroke. University of Virginia backstroker Courtney Bartholomew. Bartholomew must go a little under the :50 mark for Coughlin's record of 49.97, but is right on the edge with a 50.01 from a December meet. We'll see if she can drop less than a tenth and not only be the second woman ever under the :50 mark, but also break Coughlin's record.
Although the spectacular Katie Ledecky has bound ahead of the 4:30 barrier with a 4:26, no other woman has broken the 4:30 mark. Runge set an NCAA record with a 4:31 at Pac-12 last in Federal Way, putting her in contention to join Ledecky in the sub 4:30 club. She will also be pushed by former NCAA champion and NCAA Champions Brittany MacLean of Virginia.
At the Pac-12 championships, the Cal Bears had an amazing meet, posting a NCAA record in the 800-yard freestyle relay with a 6:50.18. They enter the meet seeded 5 seconds ahead of the second ranked team, a massive gap for an NCAA meet! At NCAAs, we will see if they can drop a little more and break the incredible 6:50 barrier!
Remember, NCAA will consist of tons of fast racing, but here are the top 5 barriers to break at Women's NCAA Champions.
For more information on the NCAA qualifiers, check out the NCAA page.
1. Missy Franklin and Simone Manuel 1:40 200-yard Freestyle
Missy has flirted with the 1:40 barrier in the past, but fell shy of the mark. This year she will be pushed by Simone Manuel, the former American Record holder in the 100-yard free. This will certainly be an amazing race, but could also result in one or both of these ladies breaking the difficult 1:40 200-yard freestyle barrier.
2. Kelsi Worrell :50 100-Yard Butterfly
No female has ever broken :50 in the 100-yard butterfly and the NCAA record by Natalie Coughlin is from 2002! Kelsi has a great shot of being the first woman under this mark, after posting an 50.17 at her conference meet a few weeks ago. Worrell is the clear favorite in the event and will certainly flirt with this amazing mark.
3. Courtney Bartholomew :50 100-Yard Backstroke
Another of Coughlin's records being threatened is the 100-yard backstroke. University of Virginia backstroker Courtney Bartholomew. Bartholomew must go a little under the :50 mark for Coughlin's record of 49.97, but is right on the edge with a 50.01 from a December meet. We'll see if she can drop less than a tenth and not only be the second woman ever under the :50 mark, but also break Coughlin's record.
4. Cierra Runge 4:30 500-Yard Freestyle
Although the spectacular Katie Ledecky has bound ahead of the 4:30 barrier with a 4:26, no other woman has broken the 4:30 mark. Runge set an NCAA record with a 4:31 at Pac-12 last in Federal Way, putting her in contention to join Ledecky in the sub 4:30 club. She will also be pushed by former NCAA champion and NCAA Champions Brittany MacLean of Virginia.
5. Cal Bears 6:50 800-Yard Freestyle Relay
At the Pac-12 championships, the Cal Bears had an amazing meet, posting a NCAA record in the 800-yard freestyle relay with a 6:50.18. They enter the meet seeded 5 seconds ahead of the second ranked team, a massive gap for an NCAA meet! At NCAAs, we will see if they can drop a little more and break the incredible 6:50 barrier!
Summary of Barriers to Break
Not only are these exciting races, but truly exciting breakthroughs, considering a few years ago no one thought swimmers would eclipse the times performed in the high-tech suits. Although many fast and exciting races will occur at the meet, these are 5 to watch and see if barriers can be broken! Good luck to all these ladies as they tackle these big barriers and if you're reading, it is only a few tenths! Also, keep an eye out for some unlikely barriers to be broken, perhaps a :45 in a 100-yard freestyle, or a :21 butterfly split on a medley relay!
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