Bella Sims Opts For 500 Free Over 200 IM and 200 Back Over 200 Fly At NCAAs

By Anya Pelshaw on SwimSwam

2024 WOMEN’S NCAA SWIMMING AND DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• March 20-23, 2024
• Gabrielsen Natatorium, Athens, Georgia
• Short Course Yards (25 yards)
• Pre-Scratch Psych Sheets

After swimming the 200 IM, 200 fly, and 200 back at SECs, Florida freshman Bella Sims has opted for the 500 free, 200 free, and 200 fly at NCAAs.

Unlike SECs, which has a five-day format, the NCAA Championships have a four-day meet format. This causes the event lineup to change and different events to overlap. SECs have the 200 butterfly and 200 backstroke on different days while NCAAs includes both events on the final day of competition. Although not impossible, it is a difficult double. Notably, Regan Smith competed the double at 2022 NCAAs as she won the 200 back and finished tied for 2nd in the 200 fly.

Sims is the top seed in all three events at NCAAs. She is the top seed in the 500 free with a 4:32.53 from midseason and her personal best stands at a 4:28.64 from December 2022. Sims opted for the 500 free over the 200 IM on day 2. Sims would have been the #2 seed in the 200 IM as she swam a personal best time of a 1:51.86 to win the SEC title. Alex Walsh of Virginia is the top seed in the 200 IM with a 1:51.76 from ACCs.

Notably, Florida teammate Isabel Ivey is entered in the 200 IM at NCAAs as the #2 seed behind Walsh. Ivey finished behind Sims in the event at SECs touching in a 1:52.50.

Although Sims did not swim the top time in the NCAA this season in the 200 free, Sims is the top seed in the event as Gretchen Walsh of Virginia opted for the 100 fly on the third day of competition. Sims is entered with a 1:40.90 and has been as fast as 1:40.78 in her career. She is the only swimmer entered under the 1:41 mark. Walsh notably had the NCAA leading time of a 1:40.23 which she swam to lead off Virginia’s 800 free relay at ACCs.

Sims will take on the 200 backstroke on the final day in Athens, Georgia. She is one of three swimmers who have been under the 1:50 mark this season as she swam a 1:49.04 at SECs. She selected the 200 back over 200 butterfly. If she had been entered in the 200 fly, she would have been the #3 seed, behind Emma Sticklen and Kelly Pash of Texas.

Florida notably has no one seeded in the top 16 of the 200 butterfly while Catie Choate is the #8 seed in the 200 backstroke and will look to make the ‘A’ final alongside Sims.

SwimSwam: Bella Sims Opts For 500 Free Over 200 IM and 200 Back Over 200 Fly At NCAAs