Reported by Chelsea Howard.
WOMEN’S 800 FREE – FINALS
If you watched the 800 freestyle at Mesa, you watched two of the fastest 800 freestylers in the world compete between Katie Ledecky and Leah Smith. Ledecky put up the top time in the world this year with a 8:15.44 beating the previous time by seven seconds.
Ledecky took the race out in a 4:08.57. Just to put that split in perspective, she would have been 22nd after the prelims of the men’s 400 freestyle.
Leah Smith was second with a 8:27.55, which put her as seventh in the world rankings for this year. Sierra Schmidt was third with a 8:45.45.
Mariah Denigan was the youngest of the field by atleast 5 years. The 13 year-old held her own and finished seventh with a time of 8:58.76.
Top 8:
- Katie Ledecky, 8:15.44
- Leah Smith, 8:27.55
- Sierra Schmidt, 8:45.45
- Taylor Ault, 8:49.41
- Hayley McIntosh, 8:52.72
- Mallory Comerford, 8:53.89
- Mariah Denigan, 8:58.76
- Riley Spitser, 9:00.69
