Ella Eastin Discusses ‘The Stanford Taper’ (Video)

Reported by Lauren Neidigh.

WOMEN’S 800 FREE RELAY:

  • NCAA Record: Stanford, 2017, 6:45.91
  • American Record: Stanford, 2017, 6:45.91
  • Championship Record: Stanford, 2017, 6:45.91
  • 2017 Champion: Stanford, 6:45.91
  1. GOLD: Stanford, 6:46.93
  2. SILVER: Michigan, 6:50.03
  3. BRONZE: Cal, 6:50.83

Erika Brown is already on fire with a 1:42.39 leadoff split for Tennessee in heat 2. That’s over a second faster than her previous best from the leadoff at SECs. The Vols went on to smash the Pool Record in 6:52.12. Meghan Small was also sub-1:43 in 1:42.45 on the anchor leg.

The Pool Record went down again in the final heat. USC’s Louise Hansson got the Trojans the early lead in 1:42.71, with Stanford’s Katie Drabot narrowly behind in a lifetime best 1:42.99. The Cardinal’s Ella Eastin roared to a 1:41.13 on the 2nd leg, while freshman teammate Brooke Forde put up a 1:42.94 on the 3rd leg. Katie Ledecky dominated the anchor leg for Stanford in 1:39.87, but it was Louisville’s Mallory Comerford who put up the fastest split of the field with a 1:39.14 on the 2nd leg.

  • Ledecky’s Splits: 23.26/25.12 (48.38)/25.77/25.72 (1:39.87)
  • Comerford’s Splits: 22.95/25.45 (48.40)/25.33/25.41 (1:39.14)

Michigan wound up 2nd with a speedy 1:40.49 from Siobhan Haughey on the 2nd leg and a 1:42.31 anchor from Gabby Deloof. Cal rounded out the top 3 with a 1:41.64 from Katie McLaughlin on the 3rd leg. The Bears also had sub-1:43 splits from Kathleen Baker (2nd leg- 1:42.78) and Amy Bilquist(anchor leg- 1:42.63).

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Swimmerj
6 years ago

I ❤️ Ella

dave92029
Reply to  Swimmerj
6 years ago

Too bad Katie Drabot couldn’t get a word in. :>)

Swimgeekgirl
Reply to  dave92029
6 years ago

I was wondering about that too. Was that just how the video was cut or did Drabot not talk at all? Seems weird to have two people interview if only one person talks.

xyz
Reply to  Swimgeekgirl
6 years ago

There are other videos on YouTube of the same interview where Katie Drabot speaks as well.

marklewis
6 years ago

I think I heard Greg M. say that the team trains for months and months, and then it’s all got to come together in a couple days of swimming at the taper meet, the NCAAs.

Maybe their best event as a team is the 400 IM. They could have 4 of the 8 finalists in that one.

Sccoach
Reply to  marklewis
6 years ago

I know everyone likes to look badass and say “we don’t taper”…

but Stanford girls have to taper a bit for pac12’s, there is no way they can go those times without at least a partial taper.

CraigH
Reply to  Sccoach
6 years ago

Racing suits and a bit less lifting.

Sccoach
Reply to  CraigH
6 years ago

I think it’s more than that. Going American records and having almost the whole team top to bottom swim amazing, I think it’s a lot more than that. If I’m wrong then they are all super hero’s

About Coleman Hodges

Coleman Hodges

Coleman started his journey in the water at age 1, and although he actually has no memory of that, something must have stuck. A Missouri native, he joined the Columbia Swim Club at age 9, where he is still remembered for his stylish dragon swim trunks. After giving up on …

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