Santa Margarita’s Katie McLaughlin competed outside the high school arena Thursday and again showed she likes to race.
Competing for the Mission Viejo Nadadores, the 16-year-old junior finished second in the 100-meter butterfly at the ultra-ramped Grand Prix in Mesa, Arizona.
The U.S. meet has been buzzing for the past two days thanks to the return of Michael Phelps.
McLaughlin placed second to Olympian Claire Donahue, 25, by clocking a time of 59.60 seconds. Donahue won in 59.05.
McLaughlin’s time was about half-a-second off her Southern California Swimming record for 15-16 year-olds of 59.07 from last summer.
Ryan Lochte edged Phelps in the men’s 100 butterfly final by two tenths with a 51.93, second-fastest in the world this year.
