TSX EXTRA – for July 26, 2018: U.S. Olympic swimming fans know Simone Manuel from her surprise gold medal at Rio in 2016 and a stunning World Championship win last year in the 100 m Freestyle.
But she had never won the U.S. national championship at that distance … until Wednesday night in Irvine, California.
She overpowered a good field that included the last two national champions and won in 52.54, making her the third-fastest woman in the world in the event in 2018.
American swimmers had a good first day at the Phillips 66 National Championships at the Woollett Aquatic Center in Irvine, with 12 new performers in the world’s ten-best for 2018 like surprise men’s 100 m winner Blake Pieroni! And Katie Ledecky won the 800 m Freestyle with ease to start a busy five days of swimming for her.