Produced by Coleman Hodges.
Reported by Stephen Parsons.
500 FREE – FINALS
- NCAA Record: Leah Smith, Virginia, 4:30.37
- American Record: Katie Ledecky, PV-Unattached, 4:26.58
- U.S. Open Record: Katie Ledecky, PV-Unattached, 4:26.58
- 2015 NCAA Champion: Leah Smith, Virginia, 4:31.54
Leah Smith of Virginia was well under NCAA record pace up until the last 50 yard. The junior defended her 2015 NCAA title with a new(er) Georgia Tech Pool Record of 4:31.33. Runner-up Brittany MacLean posted a 4:33.05 swimming at the ankles of Smith the entire race while also besting distance teammate, Hali Flickinger (4:33.35).
After the front-runners emerged from the rest of the pack, Haley Lips of Indiana stepped out as the outside smoke to take fourth in 4:34.86. Michigan’s Rose Bi (4:35.76), NC State’s Hannah Moore (4:38.12), Ohio State’s Lindsey Clary (4:38.44), and Louisville’s Mallory Comerford comprised the remaining spots in the final.
