MISSION VIEJO – Katie McLaughlin flashed a sly smile just before the finals of the women’s 50-meter freestyle Saturday night at the TYR Fran Crippen Memorial Swim Meet of Champions.
The 17-year-old was about to experience the spoils of her record-setting performance earlier in the 200 freestyle and wore the look of a youngster in on a secret.
In a carefully crafted deal with her coach, McLaughlin dived into the pool at the start of the 50 free but surfaced from her streamline on her back, a position she maintained to the end of the one-lap race at the Marguerite Recreation Center.
“It’s just for fun,” she explained after placing last in the 50 with a time of 28.35 seconds. “It’s good to mix things up every once in a while. … You can’t take everything too seriously, so it (was) something to look forward to. I like to have fun.”
McLaughlin earned her chance as part of a deal with Bill Rose, her coach with the Mission Viejo Nadadores. The agreement was if McLaughlin broke the meet record in the 200 free to open finals, she could flip onto her back for the 50 free.
The recent Santa Margarita graduate did her part by blazing to a meet- and pool-record time of 1 minute, 57.55 seconds, a time that ranks fourth among U.S. women this year. McLaughlin’s lifetime best also likely placed her deeper in the conversation for a spot on the 800 free relay at the upcoming FINA World Championships in Russia.
“If the team needs me, I’ll definitely do it but I’m not going to get my hopes up,” said McLaughlin, who qualified for the U.S. team in the 200 fly.
Her future U.S. coach was poolside for Saturday’s audition.
“We’re looking at everybody,” said USC’s Dave Salo, who will lead the U.S. women’s team in Russia. “That (1:57.55) is really good.”
Rose agreed. “I wanted her to be on that list (for consideration),” he said.
Two other Russia-bound swimmers raced well. Saugus’ Abbey Weitzeil won the 50 in 25.19 while Trojan open-water standout Haley Anderson rallied to capture the 400 individual medley (4:44.64) for her third victory of the meet. Katie Glavinovich of Aquazot and JSerra earned her Olympic Trials cut in the 400 IM with a 4:53.34.
Will Licon of Texas-based Nitro won the 200 breaststroke in 2:12.92, outdistancing Japan’s Olympic champion Kosuke Kitajima (2:16.67), who recently rejoined Salo’s training group.
Contact the writer: dalbano@ocregister.com
