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IRVINE — Teagan O’Dell shared the briefest of moments “on the wall”, as swimmers wish to say, with one in every of new mentors on Saturday night time.
On the final flip within the girls’s 200-meter particular person medley last on the Toyota National Championships, the Santa Margarita product noticed Alex Walsh, one in every of her new coaching companions on the University of Virginia.
And whereas solely a brief look underwater, it spoke volumes of the quick progress O’Dell has made along with her new group.
O’Dell turned second behind Walsh — a two-time Olympian and the defending nationwide champion — and went on to put third in a lifetime-best time of two minutes, 10.20 seconds at Woollett Aquatics Center.
“I was really just waiting all week to go for it in the 2(00) IM so I was happy to end with a PB (personal best),” mentioned O’Dell, who sliced greater than a second off her earlier finest. “(Walsh) just told me, ‘I saw you on the last wall and I was like ‘I (saw you) too,’ but I was dying.”
“I didn’t smile or anything, or laugh, which I probably would of,” O’Dell added. “This summer, I’ve been really getting to know her, learning a lot from her and racing her occasionally as best as I can. … That’s why it was cute at the end when we saw each other. That’s my girl.”
Walsh, 25, touched first in 2:08.59 to assist spotlight the ultimate night time of the meet and construct momentum for the upcoming Pan Pacific Championships Irvine.
O’Dell, 20, was out-touched by the University of Texas’ Campbell Chase by 11 one-hundredth of a second for second place.
In late April, O’Dell jolted faculty swimming by saying her switch to Virginia from Cal.
The two-time Orange County feminine athlete of the yr raced one season for the Golden Bears.
As a freshman, she completed second on the NCAA Division I championships within the 200-yard IM (1:52.76), third within the 400 IM (3:59.43) and sixth within the 200 backstroke (1:49.70).
O’Dell mentioned she transferred to Virginia for a number of causes, together with the varsity’s assist system.
The group is coached by Todd DeSorbo.
“The training, I’ve enjoyed so much,” O’Dell mentioned. “I have a pretty split schedule just with long distance and short distance.”
“The girls on the team, we push each other a lot,” she added. “It was a big shock for me to start up a little bit out of shape with them but every single week, I’ve sort of climbed a little step on the ladder.”
O’Dell mentioned she is lucky to coach with Walsh and different IM standouts corresponding to Katie Grimes and Leah Hayes.
Grimes gained the 400 IM earlier this week and claimed the 1,500 free in 15:55.69 on Saturday.
“Alex was there for me (at the beginning) and was always talking to me,” O’Dell mentioned. “I’ve looked up to her for years. … She’s a great mentor.”
In the breaststroke, O’Dell trains with nationwide group members corresponding to Walsh, Kate Douglass, Emma Weber and Katie Christopherson.
After being humbled by the exercises in the beginning, O’Dell mentioned she has seen “massive improvement” in her breaststroke this summer season.
“I can’t wait for the fall,” she mentioned.
In different outcomes, American report holders Caeleb Dressel (21.35) and Gretchen Walsh (23.60) captured the 50 freestyles.
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