Swimming Video courtesy of Swimming Australia. Swimming Video interview courtesy of Shannon Macdonald, SwimSwam Rankings Managing Editor.
See the womens’ 400 free top 50 World Rankings here, powered by TYR.
WOMEN’S 400 FREE
Meet record: 4:04.53, Janet Evans (USA)
American record: 3:58.86, Katie Ledecky
Australian record: 4:03.40, Kylie Palmer
Canadian record: 4:05.06, Brittany MacLean
Japanese record: 4:05.19, Ai Shibata
Australia All-comers record: 4:02.61, Laure Manaudou (FRA)
Katie Ledecky has no limit! After breaking the World Record at US Nationals earlier this month with her time of 3:58.86, Ledecky took almost another half a second off her record to improve to a 3:58.37. Her teammte, Cierra Runge, finished second with a time of 4:04.55. That pair will represent the United States next year the 2015 World Championships. Lauren Boyle won the bronze medal for New Zealand with her time of 4:05.33.
Canadian Brittany Maclean just missed the podium at 4:05.91 and Andreina Pinto from Venezuela was fifth at 4:07.51.
American Leah Smith dropped close to a second from her morning swim to improve to a time of 4:06.91 and win the B-final of the women’s 400 freestyle. Australian Jessica Ashwood finished second at 4:10.14 and Chihiro Igarashi from Japan was third at 4:13.72.
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Good interview of a soon to be legendry, US household name-recognition swimmer! Thanks SwimSwam!
Just a thought: I wonder if the conditions at Pan Pac’s this year were better for distance swimming in general? They always say cooler, even lightly raining conditions are better for the Boston Marathon! Sprinters likely need their muscles warmed up for action at the start, which is hard to achieve in wind/rain! Even the world’s best sprint runners seen to be from hot weather countries!
Not sure on optimal conditions for distance swimming, but for marathoning, optimal is 45-50 degrees, cloud cover, and a light breeze. That temp allows the body to cool itself efficiently, without having to use energy to stay warm in colder temps. Obviously, direct sun would be a negative, and a stronger wind would hurt, as you lose more energy running into the wind than you get back running with it. Same goes for hills.