Thielmann stars for GB at NCAAs

Jessica Thielmann was the stand-out British performer at the Women’s NCAA championship in Greensboro last weekend as she secured three top eight finishes at the annual collegiate meet. Her personal points tally of 41 made up almost a third of Florida’s 129 team score, capping off a great college season.

Thielmann started the meet with a 5th placed finish in the 500y free, before sneaking onto the final of the 400IM for 8th place. Her best performance came on the last day however, when she took a battling third place in the 1650y freestyle, holding off Texas A&M’s Sarah Henry over the closing 50y.

Her mile time of 15.46.68 was a personal best and sits somewhere around a 16:05 1500m freestyle long course, setting her up well for the forthcoming British Championships and world trials. Thielmann also swam on Florida’s 10th placed 800 freestyle relay with Amelia Maughan who narrowly missed out on an individual evening swim in the 200y freestyle, coming in just behind her SEC title winning time.

Meanwhile, in other relay action, Ellen Thomas achieved a second placed finish as part of Virginia’s 400 medley relay team, anchoring the squad home behind a powerful Stanford quartet. She’d actually gone in first, but was undone by an incredible anchor from Stanford’s Simone Manuel. Thomas was the third fastest anchor in the field, but still gave away over 2s to Manuel – watch out for her in the long course pool this year. Thomas was also on the Virginia 200 medley team that finished 4th and the 400 and 200 freestyle relay teams that both finished 6th in their respective B finals.

Elsewhere Katie Armitage helped Florida Gulf Coast University to their best ever finish at NCAA’s, her personal highlight being an appearance in the final of the 200 medley relay where she took on the breaststroke leg.

Full results are available here.