Simone Manuel Cruises to 100 Free Top Seed At Phillips 66 Nationals; Katie Ledecky, Missy Franklin Miss A-Final

Photo Courtesy: Andy Ross

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Stanford’s Simone Manuel, just a day removed from announcing her spot on Team TYR, swam to the top time in the heats of the 100 free at the 2018 Phillips 66 USA Swimming Nationals in Irvine with a 53.28 on Wednesday morning. Manuel is ahead of Louisville’s Mallory Comerford (53.36) in to tonight’s final.

The top four in tonight’s final will automatically qualify for the Pan Pac team for the 4×100 free relay as half the field will be on their way to Japan after tonight.

Margo Geer (53.75), Abbey Weitzeil (53.94), Kelsi Dahlia (54.32), Gretchen Walsh (54.38), Lia Neal (54.39) and Allison Schmitt (54.39) placed in the top eight after this morning.

Notable A-Final misses came from Katie Ledecky (54.46) in 9th and Olivia Smoliga (54.67) in 12th. Also notable was Missy Franklin in 22nd at 55.42 as she will swim again tonight in the C-Final.

15-year-old Walsh moved up to third all-time in the 15-16 NAG rankings with her swim this morning as she sits behind Franklin (53.63) and Manuel (53.86).

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