Alex Walsh: “I try to make my fly look like Kate’s”

2022 NCAA DIVISION I WOMEN’S SWIMMING AND DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• March 16-19, 2022
• McAuley Aquatic Center, Georgia Tech, Atlanta, Georgia (Eastern Daylight Time)
• Prelims 10AM /Finals 6PM
• Short Course Yards (25 yards)
• Championship Central
• Official Psych Sheets
• Live Results
• Live Video (ESPN3)
• Friday finals heat sheets

Reported by Anne Lepesant.

WOMEN 400 YARD INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY – FINALS

• NCAA Record: 3:54.60 – Ella Eastin, Stanford (2018)
• Meet Record: 3:54.60 – Ella Eastin, Stanford (2018)
• American Record: 3:54.60 – Ella Eastin, Stanford (2018)
• US Open Record: 3:54.60 – Ella Eastin, Stanford (2018)
• Pool Record: 3:58.40 – Ella Eastin, Stanford (2016)
• 2021 Champion: Brooke Forde, Stanford – 4:01.57

Podium:

1. Alex Walsh, SO Virginia – 3:57.25
2. Brooke Forde, 5Y Stanford – 4:00.41
3. Ella Nelson, JR Virginia – 4:02.45
4. Emma Weyant, FR Virginia – 4:03.17
5. Lauren Poole, JR Kentucky – 4:04.17
6. Mabel Zavaros, SO Florida – 4:06.22
7. Bailey Bonnett, 5Y Kentucky – 4:07.09
8. Ellen Walshe, FR Tennessee – 4:09.84

Virginia sophomore Alex Walsh went out first, with 25.37 on the first 50 of the butterfly. She led by half a body over Florida’s Mabel Zavaros and Brooke Forde of Stanford at the 100 with 54.35. She pulled even further ahead on the backstroke leg, turning at 1:54.12, just over three seconds ahead of Forde at the halfway mark. Forde made up some ground on the breaststroke but remained two body lengths behind through the freestyle. Walsh came to the wall in 3:57.25 to become the 9th performer all-time. Forde placed second in 4:00.41, 1.1 seconds faster than her winning time a year ago.