Leah Smith: “Last year I put a lot of hard work in the bank” (Video)

019 PRO SWIM SERIES – RICHMOND

Reported by Karl Ortegon.

WOMEN’S 800 FREE – TIMED FINAL

  • Olympic Trials cut: 8:48.09
  1. Katie Ledecky, NCAP – 8:14.24
  2. Leah Smith, Tuscon Ford Dealers Aquatics – 8:16.33
  3. Kristel Kobrich, Chile – 8:36.19

Out in 2:00.31, Ledecky was in control of this race with Leah Smith not far behind her. Ledecky won it in 8:14.24, improving upon her season-best 8:14.40 by a marginal amount to maintain ownership of the world #1 time. Her time going out, 2:00.31, was just about what she went out in when she went 8:06.68 at the 2016 Austin PSS stop, but she fell off of that pace shortly after 200 meters.

2018-2019 LCM WOMEN 800 FREE

KATIEUSA
LEDECKY

04/10
8.14.24
2 JIANJIAHE
WANG
CHN 8.14.64 03/30
3 LEAH
SMITH
USA 8.16.33 04/10
4 ARIARNE
TITMUS
AUS 8.18.61 04/07
5 SARAH
KOHLER
GER 8.20.53 03/23

VIEW TOP 26»

Smith, meanwhile, had the best swim of her entire life. Looking gleeful and surprised at the scoreboard, Smith’s time of 8:16.33 pushes her to third in the world rankings this season. More importantly, that’s her best swim ever, improving upon her 8:17.21, done at the 2018 Pan Pacific Championships. She now ranks 8th, all-time, on the top performers list.

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About Coleman Hodges

Coleman Hodges

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