Leah Smith Video Interview: I’ll do everything it takes to have the best race

Video produced by Coleman Hodges.

Swim News reported by Tony Carroll. 

500 FREESTYLE – FINALS

NCAA – 4:30.37 – Leah Smith, Virginia – 2015
Championship – 4:32.53 – Brittany MacLean, Georgia – 2014
American – 4:26.58, Katie Ledecky – 2014
US Open – 4:26.58, Katie Ledecky – 2014
2014 Champion: Brittany Maclean, UGA – 4:32.53

Leah Smith took control of the 500 freestyle early on to claim her first NCAA title in this event with a time of 4:31.54. She was out a little slower than she was this morning, but it was still too much for Cierra Runge the rest of the field.

Runge picked up second place points with her time of 4:33.82, dropping a second and a half from her prelim swim.
Texas A&M’s Sarah Henry made a huge move in the back half of the race to move up a few positions to third with her time of 4:34.34. She dropped close to 2 seconds from her morning swim to improve to win the bronze medal.

Georgia’s Amber McDertmott lead the four-woman charge for Georiga with her time of 4:35.31 for fourth.

Jessica Thielmann was fifth for Florida with her time of 4:37.22. She was followed by the other three swimmers from Georgia in 6-7-8, Hali Flickinger, Brittany Maclean, and Rachel Zilinskas. Flickinger was 4:37.40, MacLead finished at 4:38.05, and Zilinskas closed out the final with her time of 4:39.22.

Jordan Mattern made the most of her B final swim in the 500 after four of her teammates qualified for the A final. She dropped almost three seconds to win the B final and pick up 9 points for the Bulldogs. USC’s Chelsea Chenault finished second in the heat with her time of 4:37.55.