2013 Women’s NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships – 400 IM Final as reported by Braden Keith.
Video captured by Garrett McCaffrey
Florida’s Elizabeth Beisel and Texas A&M’s Cammile Adams both went out hard on the butterfly, but Beisel had the backstroe to back it up. She took the race out in 1:54.82, and even held off Caitlin Leverenz on the breaststroke leg. Beisel led this race for the last 300 yards, and took the win in 4:00.49.
After a few years of Julia Smits and Katinka Hosszus pushing the pace, we became accustomed to seeing sub-four-minute 400 IM’s (four did it last year). Don’t forget that a 4:00 is still a very good time, and not-too-long ago would’ve been among the best times ever.
Stanford’s Maya DiRado , splitting under a minute on her backstroke leg, was 2nd in 4:01.02.
Cal’s Caitlin Leverenz was 3rd in 4:02.98. She was a 1:06.85 on her breaststroke leg, as compared to a 1:04.8 on that leg last season where she was 2nd overall.
Cammile Adams was 4th in 4:03.74 after leading past the butterfly; USC’s Stina Gardell was 5th in 4:04.66. A&M’s Sarah Henry, like Adams, pushed the butterfly leg, and was just solid across this swim. She took off on the freestyle, as she’s wont to do, to jump Georgia’s Melanie Margalis (7th – 4:05.36).
Meghan Hawthorne won the B-Final in 4:06.03, followed by Louisville’s Tanja Kylliainen in 4:07.30.
How about a little coverage on PELTONS 200 free!!!! 142.1 as a FRESHMAN? By someone who was hardly predicted to get top 3? I mean seriously? The girl just has that as a 3 rd event– and beats the American record holder (Romano) and Vreeland who was on the Olympic team. If anyone should get coverage it should be Pelton. What an amazing time for a non 200 freestyler and great repping for cals program!
I agree; I called that after I saw her make a 1:43.5 look smooth and effortless in the prelims and even shut it down at the end. Pelton is one of those swimmers who is “cursed” by being very good at so many events that it can make choosing events for the big meets hard sometimes, other than the 2Back. I haven’t watched the tape of today[s prelims yet, and even I was a little surprised to see her under 1:50, but if it was as strong and smooth as her 200 free prelim, then she’ll definitely break the AR/USOpen/NCAA records tonight.
Cal’s super freshmen Pelton and Bootsma are the big stories for me (outside the team comp) so far.
Hard to argue with you there, Keith. In a field of a whole lot of times slower than expected, they’ve lived up to their considerable hype.
Yes, all swimming fans want best times and records. Post olympic year and swimmers are not machines.
wow what a crippling sickness
While you’re sitting on your high horse, she’s competing. Give her props and keep your sarcastic comments to yourself.
lol yeah but the 4IM is a bear even without a cold
Whether I will ever swim another 400 IM voluntarily is questionable. Whether I will ever swim one with a cold is not: No Way!