After night 2 of the 2015 ACC Swimming & Diving Championships, Virginia’s Leah Smith caught up with SwimSwam’s Max Mitchell to talk about her meet so far and what the plan was coming into the ACC Championships.
Smith already has victories as part of the Cavaliers’ 800 free relay (7:00.93) and in the 500 free individually (4:35.67), with enteries in the 200 and 1650 frees yet to come.
prediction – at Trials, Leah will be second behind Ledecky in the 400.
And grab a spot on the 4×200 relay. Also a player in the 800 free. An immense talent coming of age at the perfect time.
I’m sure a few Georgia Dawg swimmers might have an issue with your bold predictions. Take a look at the SEC winning time in the 500, Btw…. Dawgs aren’t rested either. It will be a great final at NCAA.
She has been 4:32 in the fall. Not outlandish, but ambitious. Breaking 4:30 will not be a stunner. She is hands down America’s second middle distance ace after Ledecky right now.
I think you’re forgetting somebody….and hands down…not so fast. There’s a much bigger place out there than ACC. It will def be fun to watch.
Joel Linn, I think a 4:28-4:29 might be a little quick.
She will win the 500 in 4:29 or 4:28, will win the 1650 and will be in the top 4 of the 200 free. Maybe challenge in the 200 free. She is on the short list for potential swimmer of the meet at NCAAs.
Finally someone who understands that’s more important to be fully tapered for the biggest meet of the college season. Not this week.
Bobo,
While the top swimmers understand what the priority in college season, we need to give respect to the 99% of the swimmers population in the collegiate level. For some swimmers, conference championships will be their last meet of the season. And for most swimmers, they need to be fully shave and taper just to qualify for the NCAA.
Exactly. Bobo, can you name one college swimmer who is already a lock for NCAA’s (has an A time or a B time that is certain to make the cut) who seems to be rested/tapered/shaved for their conference meet? There’s just not that many who have those times. The Georgia men who have A cuts (Kalisz, Bentz, etc.) seem to be focused on NCAA’s.
Plus, how many teams have a legitimate shot at winning the NCAA championship? Three teams on the girls side? Two on the guys? Another possibility to consider is that some teams might rather win a conference championship and finish 10th at NCAA’s rather than swim through conference and finish 6th at NCAA’s, hypothetically speaking.
Umm… I can name a few, but after tonight the one that sticks out is Worrell from Louisville. You can’t tell me she isnt fully rested especially after what we saw last weekend with their team.