King completes breaststroke sweep at US world meet trials / Photo: © GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
King completes breaststroke sweep at US world meet trials
World record-holder Lilly King clocked 1min 05.67sec to win the 100m breaststroke on Friday and complete a sweep at USA Swimming's World Championship trials in North Carolina.
King claimed a third individual berth for the World Championships in Budapest on June 18-July 3. Annie Lazor was second in 1:06.12 while Lydia Jacoby, who stunned King to claim Olympic gold in Tokyo last year, finished fourth to miss out on a Worlds berth.
Freestyle superstar Katie Ledecky nabbed her third individual victory of the week, winning the 400m freestyle in 3:59.52.
Ledecky, who won the 800m and 200m freestyles earlier in the meet, will be aiming to reclaim the 400m free world title she surrendered to Ariarne Titmus in 2019, a task that looks easier since the Australian star -- who also beat Ledecky to Olympic 400m gold in Tokyo last year -- indicated she will not compete in Budapest.
In other events on Friday, Hunter Armstrong followed up his world record-setting win in the 50m backstroke with a 100m backstroke win in a world-leading 52.20sec.
World record-holder Ryan Murphy was second in 52.46 -- second-fastest in the world this season.
Regan Smith won the women's 100m back in 57.75 with teenager Claire Curzan second in 58.39.
Veteran Nic Fink won the men's 100m breaststroke in 58.37 with Michael Andrew second in 58.51 -- the top two times in the world this year.
(V.Castillon--LPdF)
