IRVINE, Calif. — York County native Hali Flickinger’s first race in the U.S. National Swimming Championships was a memorable one.
The Spring Grove grad shattered a 37-year-old U.S. record in the 200-meter butterfly preliminaries, clocking a time of 2:05.87 to win her heat and qualify for tonight’s finals. Her time beat the previous meet record of 2:05.96, set in 1981 by Mary T. Meagher.
At the time, Meagher’s mark was both a world and U.S. record in the event.
Flickinger’s time is the third-fastest in U.S. women’s history, and is the second-fastest in the world this year.
Liu Zige of China set the world record (2:01.81) in 2009.
Flickinger, 24, who swims with the Athens (Ga.) Bulldog Swim Club, will be favored in tonight’s final.
Katie Drabot, of Stanford University, had the second-fastest time in the preliminaries, clocking in a 2:07.30.
The finals will be televised on The Olympic Channel and webcast on NBCSports.com, beginning at 9 p.m.
