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IRVINE — Teagan O’Dell shared the briefest of moments “on the wall”, as swimmers like to say, with one of new mentors on Saturday night.
On the last turn in the women’s 200-meter individual medley final at the Toyota National Championships, the Santa Margarita product spotted Alex Walsh, one of her new training partners at the University of Virginia.
And while only a short glance underwater, it spoke volumes of the fast progress O’Dell has made with her new team.
O’Dell turned second behind Walsh — a two-time Olympian and the defending national champion — and went on to place third in a lifetime-best time of 2 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),” said O’Dell, who sliced more than a second off her previous best. “(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 help highlight the final night of the meet and build 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 college swimming by announcing her transfer to Virginia from Cal.
The two-time Orange County female athlete of the year raced one season for the Golden Bears.
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As a freshman, she finished second at the NCAA Division I championships in the 200-yard IM (1:52.76), third in the 400 IM (3:59.43) and sixth in the 200 backstroke (1:49.70).
O’Dell said she transferred to Virginia for multiple reasons, including the school’s support system.
The team is coached by Todd DeSorbo.
“The training, I’ve enjoyed so much,” O’Dell said. “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 said she is fortunate to train with Walsh and other IM standouts such as Katie Grimes and Leah Hayes.
Grimes won 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 said. “I’ve looked up to her for years. … She’s a great mentor.”
In the breaststroke, O’Dell trains with national team members such as Walsh, Kate Douglass, Emma Weber and Katie Christopherson.
After being humbled by the workouts at the start, O’Dell said she has seen “massive improvement” in her breaststroke this summer.
“I can’t wait for the fall,” she said.
In other results, American record holders Caeleb Dressel (21.35) and Gretchen Walsh (23.60) captured the 50 freestyles.
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