Many thanks to swimswam contributor Anne Lepesant for producing this interview.
WOMEN’S 400 IM – 2013 US Junior Nationals – as reported by swimswam:
Not one, not two, but three ladies cleared the old meet record in the opening event of the night, with two of them (Eastin and Brooke Zeiger) absolutely crushing the previous standard. Eastin, a 16-year-old who competes for Socal Aquatics, led this one from start-to-finish, building an early lead on the fly before putting together the fastest final two 100′s in the field to touch in 4:38.97, almost six seconds under the previous record held by Jasmine Tosky (4:44.85). Her finishing time is the third fastest amongst Americans in 2013, places her fourth on the all-time list for 17-18 girls (trailing only Olympic medalists Elizabeth Beisel, Katie Hoff, and Janet Evans), and ranks eleventh in the world this year.
Brooke Zeiger of the Bluefish Swim Club swam a personal best 4:43.84 to finish second, holding off the hard-charging Kathleen Baker of SwimMAC Carolina (who out-split Zeiger by a full second over the last 50). Baker clocked in at 4:44.63, also under the meet record.
See all swimswam coverage of 2013 US Junior Nationals presented by Engine Swimwear here.