Reported by James Sutherland.
WOMEN’S 400 FREE FINAL
- World Junior Record: 3:58.37, Katie Ledecky, 2014
- Meet Record: 4:07.26, G Ryan, 2012
- Claire Tuggle, CLOV, 4:10.11
- Kensey McMahon, BSS, 4:10.46
- Kaitlynn Sims, MAC, 4:13.37
14-year-old Claire Tuggle took over the lead at the halfway mark of the women’s 400 free final, but top seed from prelims Kensey McMahon didn’t let her get away sitting right on her hip through the 350. McMahon made a big push on the last 50, but Tuggle successfully fended her off to book the win in a new personal best time of 4:10.11. That improves her previous best of 4:10.17 from Nationals, maintaining her position at 4th in the 13-14 age group.
McMahon, who swims for the Bolles School Sharks, has now had four consecutive PBs over the last week, doing so in prelims and finals at Nationals and now here. She got down to 4:13.39 this morning, and crushed it tonight all the way to 4:10.46.
Kaitlynn Sims of Magnolia was a solid 4:13.37 for 3rd, less than a second off her best, and Olivia McMurray was the first of three 15-year-olds in the final with a 4:15.74 for 4th. That lowers her previous best set at this meet last year by .06.
