{"id":360261,"date":"2019-03-24T15:27:11","date_gmt":"2019-03-24T22:27:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=360261"},"modified":"2019-03-24T15:27:11","modified_gmt":"2019-03-24T22:27:11","slug":"abbey-weitzeil-powers-through-pain-cal-stamps-ncaas-with-relay-for-the-ages","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/abbey-weitzeil-powers-through-pain-cal-stamps-ncaas-with-relay-for-the-ages\/","title":{"rendered":"Abbey Weitzeil Powers Through Pain, Cal Stamps NCAAs With Relay For the Ages"},"content":{"rendered":"

After spending hours at the hospital the night before, Abbey Weitzeil<\/strong> arrived at the pool early on Saturday, knowing no matter what happened, it would be a difficult and painful day.<\/p>\n

The Cal junior was determined to push through the pain.<\/p>\n

Weitzeil did more than push through the pain of her elbow injury, she turned in one of the most impressive performances in NCAA history.<\/p>\n

With her right arm heavily wrapped, in addition to the pain of the injury and limited mobility of her arm — suffered on Friday night when she jammed it finishing the 200 medley relay — she had some extra drag with the wrap in the water.<\/p>\n

Weitzeil overcame all of that to finish fourth in the 100 free, before turning in an amazing performance to close the meet, anchoring Cal\u2019s title in the 400 free relay \u2014 in an NCAA record time of 3:06.96<\/a>, along with Izzy Ivey, Katie McLaughlin<\/strong> and Amy Bilquist<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Not a bad anchor leg for someone who had their arm in a sling most of the day.<\/p>\n

\"abbey-weitzeil-\"

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cHonestly, I was just going out there before the relay (looking at my teammates) going, you got me, I got you. We were all going to put it all out there,\u201d Weitzeil said. \u201cEven in the race I wasn\u2019t even thinking about it \u2014\u00a0I was trying not to think about it. We got our hand to the wall, that is all that matters.\u201d<\/p>\n

It is that type of fierceness and determination that has transformed Weitzeil into one of the world\u2019s best sprinters. She has Olympic gold, an NCAA title and an American record individually.<\/p>\n

But her fierceness, coupled with the drive for her team that has made her one of the best relay swimmers in NCAA history.<\/p>\n

Fighting through an injury just adds to that distinction.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt just speaks to her character,\u201d Bilquist said. \u201cShe is a fighter. She is a warrior.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"abbey-weitzeil-\"

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick<\/p><\/div>\n

It wasn\u2019t easy of course.<\/p>\n

Weitzeil went straight to the hospital after Friday night\u2019s session, fearing the worst. Her arm could have been broken or any number of things that could have kept her from competing.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just finished really terribly (in the 200 medley relay),\u201d Weitzeil said. \u201cI finished with my palm and hyperextended my elbow. We don\u2019t know the extent of the injury, but it is not broken.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her teammates were equally concerned about the extent of the injury as well as the emotional factor of possibly having a teammate that couldn\u2019t compete.<\/p>\n

Those worries were quickly subsided by Weitzeil.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were getting texts from the hospital last night and she was clowning around. That is really what helped us come into the final day. Even with her hurting, she elevated this team. That is a lot to ask, but she did awesome,\u201d Bilquist said. \u201cThis situation could have been so blown up and dramatic, but she put it in the most positive light possible. I am just so proud to be her teammate and be on that relay on her.\u201d<\/p>\n