Ageless Gabby Rose and Resurgent Hunter Armstrong Look Sharp on Opening Night of TYR Champs
Ageless Gabby Rose and a resurgent Hunter Armstrong delivered two of the top performances on the first night of the TYR Summer Championships in Irvine, California. While the 47-year-old Rose, a two-time Olympian continued to defy time, Armstrong flourished in one of his secondary events, promoting intrigue for what is to come during the remainder of the meet.
A 1996 Olympian for Brazil and a 2000 Olympian for the United States, Rose once again demonstrated that age is not slowing her down. En route to a third-place finish in the 50-meter breaststroke, Rose (Alpha Aquatics) clocked a personal-best time of 31.49. That effort cut .03 from her previous best and backed up her superb efforts from last summer’s United States Olympic Trials. In Indianapolis, Rose advanced to the semifinals of the 100 breaststroke, a stunning achievement while racing against America’s best, and athletes more than half her age.
Rose has taken a page out of the book of Dara Torres, proving that age and time do not have to curtail speed. Her time in the 50 breaststroke ranks her 10th in the U.S. for the 2025 season. At the TYR Champs, being held at the William Woollett Aquatic Center, Rose still has the 100 breaststroke and 200 breaststroke to come.
Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
As for Armstrong, his opening night of the meet featured a runnerup finish in the 50 freestyle, which was won by Australian Jamie Jack in 21.63. On the way to second place, Armstrong touched the wall in 21.76, a swim that bettered his previous best of 22.00 by nearly a quarter-second. Armstrong is best known for his talent in the backstroke events and 100 freestyle, so his speed display in the 50 freestyle is promising.
Armstrong did not compete at the U.S. Trials for the World Championships while working through sponsorship issues, but his presence in Southern California could land him a spot at next summer’s Pan Pacific Championships. Armstrong needs to leave Irvine with a top-two time in any of the 50 backstroke, 100 backstroke and 100 freestyle to secure a spot.
More, Armstrong would be a key cog in the backstroke events for the United States, which is looking for a spark in those disciplines.
