Missy Franklin Clears National Independent School Record in 200 IM

FORT COLLINS, Colorado, February 9. MISSY Franklin opened up the final night of her high school career in a big way, downing the national independent school record in the 200-yard IM at the Colorado State High School Championships.

With a crowd packed to the rafters, Franklin donned her Regis Jesuit High cap and blasted a time of 1:56.86. Franklin split the swim 25.59, 53.48, 1:29.21, 1:56.85, and had plenty of space to work with as Loveland sophomore Brooke Hansen took second in 2:02.20.

Franklin's performance knocked significant time off her state record of 1:58.22 from last night, and bettered 2012 London Olympic teammate Kathleen Hersey's national independent school record of 1:57.41. Hersey turned in that effort in 2008 while a member of Marist High in Georgia. Franklin finished a bit off her best time ever in the event of 1:55.32 set during the 2010 short course nationals.

As detailed last night in our preliminary report, Franklin and Hersey are widely known in tandem for their amazing efforts as some of the stars of the USA Swimming Olympic training camp “Call Me Maybe” video.

Notably, Dagny Knutson's 2009 effort of 1:53.82 while swimming for Minot High in North Dakota still stands as the overall and public school record.

Franklin later took down the state record in the 500 free with a time of 4:41.72. That swim cleared her lifetime best of 4:42.00 from the 2010 Speedo Championships Series Western Regionals, but was well off the national high school record of 4:33.14 set by fellow Olympic gold medalist Katie Ledecky last night in Maryland.

Franklin also helped Regis Jesuit to a win in the 200 free relay immediately following her 500 free effort. She clocked a sizzling 22.12 anchor leg as her team of Taylor Wilson, Meggie Chase and Amy Lenderink turned in a 1:36.19.

The Colorado superstar then closed her high school career with a 48.13 anchor leg as the Regis Jesuit team of Wilson, Lindsay Kriz and Lindsay Painton combined to post a 3:26.41 for the win in the 400 free relay.

As always, Franklin was gracious after the session, telling all of her Twitter followers how proud she was of everyone.

State Champions 2013😄 So proud of my girls and every other competitor at state. We raced our hearts out! Congrats to everyone!!

— Missy Franklin (@FranklinMissy) February 10, 2013

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