An intense battle for the first individual title of the 2014 NCAA championships saw two swimmers blast the old NCAA record. Though Cal’s Missy Franklin powered out to a lead through the middle of the race, Georgia’s Brittany MacLean made a late charge to steal the title and the NCAA record from her cross-country rival.
MacLean went 4:32.53, closing in an amazing 25.81 to bull her way past the record. The Bulldog sophomore was out in 1:48.54 at the 200 and actually accelerated from there – her final 100 was 52.98. That broke the record held by MacLean’s former Georgia teammate Allison Schmitt, set back in 2011.
Franklin also got under that mark, going 4:32.66 and nearly holding off MacLean. Franklin was out a bit faster early, but couldn’t handle MacLean’s closing speed.
Typo. Virginia.
Too bad Leah Smith from Cirginia didn’t make the final 8 in prelims. That would have been more epic.
What happened to Kendyl Stewart?
Word is Stewart took pretty ill and stayed back at the hotel to prepare for her double on Friday.
“Franklin was out a bit faster early …” but their splits were very close. Must have been an exciting race to watch!
Franklin MacLean
52.62 53.0
55.8 55.4
55.8 55.7
54.7 55.3
53.6 52.9
Congrats to both!
but the fact that Ledecky would have won this race by four seconds is a little disturbing
Disturbing? Scratches head…
I also don’t understand why it is disturbing.