Reported by James Sutherland.
Katie Ledecky: “I didn’t rest too much for this [meet]. Compared to other trials and selection meets, this might be the least tapered that I’ve been over the past couple of years. I’m getting in and racing. I have confidence from training that I can get up and go times like that.”
WOMEN’S 100 FREE FINALS
- American Record: 52.70, Simone Manuel, 2016
U.S. Open Record: 53.12, Sarah Sjostrom, 2016LC National Meet Record: 53.26, Mallory Comerford, 2017- FINA ‘A’ Standard: 54.90
- Mallory Comerford, UOFL, 52.81
- Simone Manuel, STAN, 53.05
- Lia Neal, STAN, 53.59
- Kelsi Worrell, CARD, 53.99
- Olivia Smoliga, ABSC, 54.31
- Katie Ledecky, STAN, 54.35
After setting a new meet record this morning, Louisville’s Mallory Comerford went over four tenths better tonight to clock a new meet and U.S. Open Record in a time of 52.81, her first time under 53 seconds. Comerford moves to #3 in the world with that swim, and qualifies for her first major international competition.
2016 Olympic champ Simone Manuel sat 2nd the entire race, touching in 53.05 to take the second individual spot heading to Budapest. Her Stanford teammates Lia Neal and Katie Ledecky made the relay in 3rd and 6th, as did Comerford’s teammate from Louisville Kelsi Worrell. Olivia Smoliga took the other relay spot, 5th in 54.35.
Courtney Caldwell of the Wolfpack ran down Abbey Weitzeil for the win in the B-final in 54.80, and Grace Ariola of Waves Bloomington dropped nearly a second from prelims to win the C-final in 55.05.
WOMEN’S 800 FREE (TIMED FINAL)
- American Record: 8:04.79, Katie Ledecky, 2016
- U.S. Open Record: 8:06.68, Katie Ledecky, 2016
- LC National Meet Record: 8:10.32, Katie Ledecky, 2016
- FINA ‘A’ Standard: 8:38.56
- Katie Ledecky, STAN, 8:11.50
- Leah Smith, CAV, 8:20.46
- Hannah Moore, WOLF, 8:27.58
Shortly after taking 6th in the 100 free final, Katie Ledecky was back in the pool for the women’s 800 free, winning easily in a time of 8:11.50. The two-time defending Olympic champion was well ahead of the field the entire race, and was just shy of her national meet record of 8:10.32 done at the Olympic Trials last year.
Leah Smith finished 2nd to Ledecky, just as she did in Omaha, with a very strong showing in 8:20.46, just missing her best time from last year of 8:20.18. Ledecky and Smith take over the top two times in the world this year.
Hannah Moore of the NC State Wolfpack takes 3rd, while Cierra Runge is 4th (8:32.16). Swimming out of the early heats, Summer Finke (8:34.63) and Leah Stevens (8:34.78) took 7th and 8th overall.