King wins second national title to wrap up Phillips 66 Championships

Posted on Sunday, Jul. 31, 2022, 12:09 am

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Courtesy UVA Media Relations

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Matt King won his second US national title, taking gold in the 50-meter freestyle on the final night of competition at the Phillips 66 National Championships in Irvine, Calif.

King swept the sprint freestyle events, also winning gold in the 100-meter freestyle. King set a UVA record in the 50 free in prelims (21.95) and then improved that record with a 21.83 in finals.

Gretchen Walsh capped off a strong week with a silver medal in the women’s 50-meter freestyle. She finished with a UVA record time of 24.47 to place second. Incomer Maxine Parker finished fifth in the 50 free with a time of 25.05.

Connor Boyle won the men’s consolation final of the 50-meter freestyle with a time of 22.19. Jack Aikins finished third in the consolation final with a time of 22.34. Aikins had also finished third in the 100-meter backstroke with a UVA record on Friday night.

Ella Nelson finished fifth in the women’s 200-meter individual medley, swimming a personal-best time of 2:12.87. Zoe Skirboll finished seventh in the 200 IM with a time of 2:14.56.

UVA swimmers finished with four national champion swims during the five-day meet. King had two wins, Aikins won the men’s 200-meter backstroke and Walsh won the women’s 100-meter butterfly.

Walsh and Claire Tuggle both picked up top-five finishes on Friday as well. Walsh finished fifth in the 100-meter backstroke with a time of 1:00.03. She set a UVA LCM record in the 100 back with a time of 59.80 in prelims.

Tuggle finished fifth in the 400-meter freestyle with a time of 4:11.50. It was her second top-five finish of nationals.

Also on Friday, Reilly Tiltmann finished second in the consolation final of the 100-meter backstroke with a personal-best time of 1:00.59.

Anna Keating and Zoe Skirboll finished third and fourth, respectively, in the consolation final of the 100-meter breaststroke. Keating finished in 1:09.27 and Skirboll swam a personal-best time of 1:09.29.

Noah Nichols finished third in the men’s 100-meter breaststroke consolation final with a time of 1:00.85.