ATLANTA – University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas qualified for her second final at the NCAA Championship Friday morning after completing the 200-yard freestyle in 1 minute, 42.09 seconds, to secure the second seed for tonight’s final.
Stanford Junior and Canadian Olympian Taylor Ruck will be the top seed after winning their heat in 1: 41.89.
Thomas, who is a transgender woman, opened the race behind USC Senior Laticia-Leigh Transom. After the first 100, she was almost a body length behind. Thomas, however, passed the transom on the final lap.
Thomas entered the preliminaries for the third fastest time in the country with 1: 41.93 tied. She held the top time until Wednesday, when Ruck (1: 40.59) and Cal’s Isabel Ivey (1: 41.35) posted better times, and Stanford’s Torri Huske tied Thomas while he was in the 800 freestyle relay. competed in the NCAA Championship.
Thomas, Ruck and Ivey, who finished third, came in last Friday night separated by 0.35 seconds, setting up a showdown for the NCAA Championship. Also possible: to beat Missy Franklin’s record time of 1: 39.10, which was set in 2015.
Thomas became the first transgender athlete to win a Division I National Championship Thursday as she captured the 500 freestyle. Their victory came amid protests outside the McAuley Aquatic Center, and remarkable silence from the otherwise evil people inside.
Olympian and University of Texas freshman Erica Sullivan, who finished third, showed her support Friday morning in an op-ed published by Newsweek.
“I can not sit still as I see the fundamental rights of a citizen to debate,” Sullivan said. “Like everyone else in this sport, Lia trained diligently to get where she is and followed all the rules and guidelines that were presented to her. Like everyone else in this sport, Lia does not win every time. .And if she does., She deserves, like everyone else in this sport, to be celebrated for her hard-won success, not to be called a cheater simply because of her identity.
A small group of protesters returned to the grass outside the pool on Friday morning. Yellow barriers stood across the sidewalk and additional security was present. An event staff member said the additional barriers were due to the heightened focus around Thomas.
Protesters stood behind the barriers, singing through a megaphone.
“[Thomas winning a national championship] was really excited, “Save Women’s Sports Demonstrator Amy Sousa, who traveled from her home in Washington to Atlanta, told ESPN.” Lia Thomas did not win. He [sic] fuddelen. And he stole a place from many women. It was devastating. “
In addition to the 200 freestyle Friday night, Thomas also swam the 100 freestyle on Saturday.
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