{"id":613452,"date":"2025-06-05T17:15:04","date_gmt":"2025-06-06T00:15:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=613452"},"modified":"2025-06-05T19:45:39","modified_gmt":"2025-06-06T02:45:39","slug":"u-s-nationals-day-3-finals-vintage-lilly-king-dominates-50-breaststroke-tie-for-second","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/u-s-nationals-day-3-finals-vintage-lilly-king-dominates-50-breaststroke-tie-for-second\/","title":{"rendered":"U.S. Nationals Day 3 Finals: Vintage Lilly King Dominates 50 Breaststroke; Swim-Off for Second Saturday"},"content":{"rendered":"

US Nationals Day 3 Finals: Vintage Lilly King Dominates 50 Breaststroke; Tie for Second<\/em><\/p>\n

Lilly King<\/strong> announced the end is near, but she is still far from done.<\/p>\n

The Olympic gold medalist has been a mainstay on the national team for a decade and though she announced this will be her final season, she made a statement with her 30.15 in the 50 breaststroke during the Day 3 prelims.<\/p>\n

King posted earlier this week that she was happy to have it all end at the pool where it basically all began. Her home championship pool in her home state.<\/p>\n

King pulled ahead early and won in a 29.88 to add another national championship to her stunning resume and extend that career a little more with a spot on the World Championship team.<\/p>\n

“Any time I can get under 30, it is a good swim. Being able to do that in my ripe old age is still really exciting,” King said. “I like to win, so any time I get to do that is special, and to do it in front of the crowd here is really special.”<\/p>\n

She has been swimming here since age 10. Her mother swam the first high school state meet at the Natatorium.<\/p>\n

“I always try to soak it in here just because I get a lot of love from the crowd. But I am not getting that nostalgic yet. … This has always been my plan. I knew Paris would be my last Olympics. I can’t wait to watch in LA. I am ready to move on with my life and be a normal human. Like right now, I don’t know how to eat when I don’t have to practice. I am excited to move on and see the sport from the other side.”<\/p>\n

It was a vintage King performance as she was out quick and somehow continued to get quicker and pull away, even in a 50. Now the 50s are in the Olympic lineup, but that didn’t sway King’s decision.<\/p>\n

“I thought about it for about six hours. I felt like when Katniss learned that they were pulling from the existing pool of victories in the Hunger Games. That is the closest way I can describe it,” she said. “But I woke up the next morning and was (ready to keep the same plan).”<\/p>\n

It was such a dominating performance that it took a second to sink in that McKenzie Siroky<\/strong> and Emma Weber<\/strong> tied for the second spot in 30.43. They will compete in a swim-off at 7 p.m. Saturday.<\/p>\n

Skyler Smith<\/strong> took the fourth spot at 30.47, ahead of Alex Walsh<\/strong> (30.54) and Piper Enge<\/strong> (30.86).<\/p>\n

So if King went this fast, what is her expectations in the final meet of her career in Singapore?<\/p>\n

“Swim fast,” she deadpanned.<\/p>\n