Jessica wins 100 breast at US National Championships
August 6, 2011
STANFORD, Calif. — Closing in on the finish, Jessica Hardy didn’t think she was going to win. Then she changed her mind and went for the wall.
Hardy outraced Ann Chandler over the final lap to win the 100-meter breaststroke at the U.S. national championships Thursday night.
“It was like a growth. That race has been pretty fragile the last couple years,” Hardy said. “To have been mentally strong at the end of the race is something I’ve been trying to do my whole career.”
She touched in 1 minute, 6.81 seconds, well off her world- and American-record time. Chandler finished at 1:07.17 and Ellyn Baumgardner was third at 1:08.20.
“I’m not happy with the time, but I’m really grateful to have a good race,” Hardy said.
Earlier, Hardy pulled out of the 50 freestyle, not wanting to double up on events like she did on the last day of the world championships Sunday in China. Later she swam on the 4×200 free relay, and her club team finished eighth.
She said she won’t swim the 100 free, having had enough racing in the past two weeks.
via ESPN
