AUSTIN, Texas –
There is very little that Wisconsin junior
Beata Nelson hasn't accomplished.
Nelson finished NCAA runner-up and earned All-America honors a season ago, owns numerous school records, and currently leads the nation in two events this season.
On Friday, Nelson became the fastest woman ever in the 100-yard backstroke.
"In leaving her mark on the record books, Beata was sensational," Wisconsin head coach
Yuri Suguiyama said. "It's great to see someone who puts as much work into this sport as she does get rewarded."
Nelson broke the collegiate, American and U.S. open records in the 100 back with her winning time of 49.67 seconds at the Texas Hall of Fame Invitational.
The performance marked just the 10th clocking under the 50-second barrier all-time, of which Nelson owns four. Of the four other women to go sub-50 in the event, none have done so more than twice.
The record-setting effort dethroned Stanford's Ally Howe (49.69) and gave Nelson three of the six fastest swims ever in the 100 back. She finished second to Howe at last year's NCAA championships.
Nelson's head-turning performances didn't stop with her effort in the 100 back.
Fresh off a nation-leading 1:53.08 finish in the 200-yard IM on Thursday, Nelson's 50.90 finish in the 100-yard butterfly toppled another UW record Friday.
The Madison native now owns UW individual records in the 100 back, 200 back, 100 fly and 200 IM.
In the 200 medley relay, Nelson and teammates
Jess Unicomb, Kesli Atrim and
Emmy Sehmann finished in 1:36.17 to claim a victory and clocked Wisconsin's second-fastest mark all-time.
Atrim, making waves in her own right, floated her name to fourth place on UW's all-time 100 breaststroke list with a personal-best finish of 1:00.49.
Friday's racing made it abundantly clear that, midway through the season, Badgers fans still have a lot to look forward to.
Just ask Coach.
"We're racing with great energy and we're only getting started," Suguiyama said.
The Badgers are back in the pool Saturday for the concluding day of the Texas Invitational. Prelims begin at 10 a.m., followed by 6 p.m. finals.
