{"id":613289,"date":"2025-06-05T05:00:07","date_gmt":"2025-06-05T12:00:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=613289"},"modified":"2025-06-04T20:21:10","modified_gmt":"2025-06-05T03:21:10","slug":"us-nationals-why-200-free-was-more-exciting-for-torri-huske-than-100-free-title","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/us-nationals-why-200-free-was-more-exciting-for-torri-huske-than-100-free-title\/","title":{"rendered":"US Nationals: Why 200 Free Was More Exciting for Torri Huske Than 100 Free Title"},"content":{"rendered":"

US Nationals: Why 200 Free Was More Exciting for Torri Huske Than 100 Free Title<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

When Torri Huske<\/strong> broke the U.S. Open record on the opening night of the 2025 U.S. National Championships, it was an exciting moment.<\/p>\n

But her most exciting moment came on Day 2 when she finished third in the 200 freestyle, earning her second spot on the worlds team.<\/p>\n

Why so excited for a relay-only swim?<\/p>\n

“I was (even more) happy with the 200 because I was kind of stagnant in that. I hadn’t gone my best time since my senior year of high school,” Huske said. “Last year when I was swimming a the World Cup, I was just dying to go 2 minutes, so I have really improved in that event.”<\/p>\n

Huske got to the wall in 1:55.71, finishing behind Claire Weinstein<\/strong> (1:54.92) and Katie Ledecky<\/strong> (1:55.26).<\/p>\n

This one day after she scorched a 52.43 in the 100 free to win the national title.<\/p>\n

“I feel like I just learned how to swim the 100 free last year at the Olympics. My freestyle in general just has been clicking in practice. I have been swimming times that I have never done before on repeats and way better sets,” she said. “I feel faster and smoother. My easy speed has really been clicking, which helps. I go out fast, but it doesn’t hurt at all. That allows me to come back.”<\/p>\n

Huske has gone from a teen upstart to a veteran presence on the National Team. It has changed her outlook on the end of seasons and the process of getting there.<\/p>\n

“The experience always helps. Going into these meets now, it is more about a step in the process, making the team, then there is worlds afterward, not just making the team as the goal,” she said.<\/p>\n

Training at Stanford, Huske had a stellar NCAA meet, that included an NCAA title. But in the two months since then, coach Greg Meehan<\/strong> has left to lead USA Swimming’s National Team and the Cardinal hired former Notre Dame coach Chris Lindauer<\/strong> all in a matter of two months.<\/p>\n

“It has definitely been tough with the coaching change, but I don’t feel like I haven’t been looked after, either. We have been leaning on each other, and I don’t think many teams could withstand something like that,” she said.<\/p>\n

It has shown this week as Caroline Bricker<\/strong> won the 200 fly, Simone Manuel<\/strong> made the 400 free relay and former Stanford champion Ledecky is, well Ledecky. And more swims are on the way for the current and past Cardinal.<\/p>\n

“It is so awesome to see my teammates do well and see us thrive,” she said. “It is a reflection of how well we get a long because we uplift each other during training.”<\/p>\n