Simone Manuel made history at the 2024 Nova Speedo Grand Challenge with her victory in the Women’s 100 Free final. Her impressive time of 53.10 set a new meet record and was her fastest performance since 2019, tying exactly her time from prelims of the 2019 World Championships.
The top four finishers in the event were Manuel, Anicka Delgado, Claire Weinstein, and Paige Madden. Manuel’s journey in the Women’s 100 Free has been marked by ups and downs over the years, but her recent performance indicates that she is peaking at just the right time for the upcoming Olympic Trials next month.
Manuel’s victory at the Nova Speedo Grand Challenge was a strong indicator of her competitiveness and determination to succeed on the world stage once again. Despite not making it to the ‘A’ final at the 2021 Wave II Olympic Trials, Manuel’s anchor leg in the US women’s 4×100 free relay secured a bronze medal. Her recent success suggests that she is now well-positioned to compete for medals at major competitions like the Olympics.
The Women’s 100 Free event has seen significant improvement among American swimmers this season, with seven women going under the 54-second mark. As competition continues to heat up, achieving a time in the 53-second range may be necessary for success in major competitions like the Olympics. But with Manuel’s impressive performance at this meet, she is clearly on track to achieve that goal and much more.
