Video is courtesy of USA Swimming:
Girls’ 500 Yard Free – FINALS – 2013 US Winter Junior Nationals – as reported by SwimSwam / Braden Keith
There was only a single North Carolina-based swimmer in any of the three finals of either the boys’ or girls’ 500 yard freestyles, and with North Carolina being the host state of this meet, naturally TAC Titans’ Hannah Moore desired to defend her home turf.
And that she did, with authority, winning the Junior National title in the 500 yard free in 4:43.04. That’s an impressive swim, considering that she was only a 4:47-high in prelims and out of the main focus of this race. It’s also almost a second faster than her lifetime best, and four seconds faster than she was coming into this fall yards season.
Virginia commit Ceci Williams from the ATAC club in Tallahassee Florida was a full second behind for the silver medal, touching in 4:44.03. The majority of that difference was made very early in this race, in the first 125 yards or so, and the two held that spacing pretty steady the rest of the way.
Another second behind was Zoe Thatcher from the Mason Manta Rays in Ohio with a 4:45.03. She looked strong early, but couldn’t quite put the same kick in as the two leaders at the touch.
Loveland Swim Club’s Eryn Eddy took 4th in 4:47.22, Lakeside Swim Team’s Leah Stevens, the fastest swimmer in prelims, added about two-and-a-half seconds for 5th in 4:47.99, and 16-year old Rockwood Swim Club’er Jordan Stout was 6th in 4:49.33.
My mom’s friend is her dad!!! Congratulations Hannah! Its Kayla the girl that wrote you that letter!