U.S. International Team Trials: Lilly King Goes Sub-30 to Win 50 Breast

Lilly King; Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

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U.S. International Team Trials: Lilly King Goes Sub-30 to Win 50 Breast

If Lilly King is the queen of breaststroke, Thursday marked not so much a coronation as a jubilee, marking her resumption of dominance in a non-Olympic domain.

King controlled the field in the 50 breaststroke at U.S. International Team Trials in Greensboro Thursday night, winning in a time of 29.76 seconds to book the one and only spot at the World Championships.

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King is the two-time reigning World Championships gold medalist in what she regards as her favorite event. She’s the American record holder, the former world record holder and one of the few swimmers in the world capable of the consistent perfection needed in such a precise event.

King was in control all the way. At 29.76, she’s the only American capable of visiting the subterranean depths below 30 seconds. It’s within a shout of her U.S. Open record (29.62 from 2018) and her American record (29.40 from 2017).

King’s time is second-fastest in the world, .04 behind Lara Van Niekerk of South Africa. Only that duo and Italian teen Benedetta Pilato (29.85) have gone sub-30.

King is obviously in good form, having won the 200 breast ahead of Kate Douglass. She still has the 100 breast to come.

Second in the 50 was Kaitlyn Dobler in 30.34 seconds. Lydia Jacoby finished third, .01 behind. For both, those are best times. Danielle Herrmann, the 34-year-old, went 31.06 for fourth. It’s her second personal-best of this month, improving the 31.48 she set back in 2019.

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