2013 Women’s NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships, 500 Free (as reported by Braden Keith).
Video captured by Garrett McCaffrey.
We watch a lot of 500 freestyles here at SwimSwam. This was the best 500 freestyle race that I’ve ever watched, with 7 swimmers in this final coming into-and-out-of contention. At the finish, though, it was USC’s Haley Anderson who repeated as NCAA Champion in 4:34.66. She wasn’t the fastest through the middle portion of this race, but she was the fastest to 200 yards, and had the best last 50. In a middle-distance race like this, those are the keys.
Her winning time was 4:34.66; even with an arguably better field this year, that’s actually a few tenths slower than her winning time from last season. The race was very tactical though. She pushed harder than she usually does early in the race; this one was all about placing, not records.
Meanwhile, we saw one more example of why it’s so hard to win four career titles in the same event at this meet. Allison Schmitt had never lost this 500 free (she won it her first three years before last year’s redshirt), but finished 6th in this race in 4:36.73. This is the second-straight season that we’ve seen a Georgia swimmer with a chance at pulling off four-straight, but coming up short (Wendy Trott was runner-up in the mile last season).
Aside from not getting the win, this race still went very well for Georgia, however. Amber McDermott, who led with 100 yards to go, was 2nd overall in 4:34.86 and Shannon Vreeland was 3rd in 4:35.95.
Arizona freshman Bonnie Brandon is becoming more-and-more known for these distance freestyles, in addition to her primary 200 backstroke. She was 4th in 4:35.96. Such an impressive time here means big potential for that 200 back on Saturday – perhaps even mixing it up with the likes of Pelton and Beisel for gold.
Indiana’s Lindsay Vrooman was 5th in 4:36.41, and UNC’s Danielle Siverling ran out of steam on her last 100 to finish 7th in 4:37.57.
Tennessee’s Lindsay Gendron looked like she still had a lot of adrenaline going from the relay win, but after 250 yards was pretty much gassed and finished 8th.
Texas A&M’s Sarah Henry gave the Aggies a second B-Final win in as many events, swimming a 4:36.53. She sort of got hung on a slow heat in the morning, but even this time is shy of the 4:33 she was mid-season.
Florida’s Jess Thielmann was 10th overall in 4:38.10. Both Georgia and Cal moved up a few spots in that B-Final.
Come on Allison! Don’t use waffle (I have learned another English expression)! You can’t only say it was a great race. Yes there was suspens but your performance is bad. And I don’t criticize you. It’s human. Hard to be back on top after London. You are not machines. I know this meet is about team race but individually you can’t be satisfied with the 500 free.
I don’t think she said her race was great, in fact, she comes right out and says it’s not what she hoped for. I think what she meant was that the whole field was very strong, which it was. Yes, it was disappointing for her personally, but perhaps she knows there’s no point in dwelling on it, since she has to regroup and get up and race the next day. I’m sure it was hard for her to talk about her disappointment, knowing she has to keep her own spirits and the morale of her team up for the next two days.
Thank you for transcripting and explaining what she said. My English is still on training mode. Overall a great race with much suspense but individually that was a bad race for her.
And may I be the one to say that I’m impressed with how far your English has come. Most of the time, it’s hard to tell you’re not a native scripter.
Thank you but for hard words or not usual words like waffle I use google and many help traductions. And I’m humble. I know English is one of the easiest languages to learn. Try French and you will struggle. Good luck to Missy for that. I know she learns French online.
Bobo, I think you’re doing a great job with your English! You are improving a lot, from what I can see, though I don’t frequent the comments section much. I respect how much you are willing to put yourself out there and comment constantly. Practice makes perfect, after all.