Reported by Lauren Neidigh.
WOMEN’S 400 IM
- American Record: 4:31.12, Katie Hoff, 2008
- U.S. Open Record: 4:31.07, Katinka Hosszu, 2015
- U.S. Open Meet: 4:38.38, Katie Hoff, 2006
- GOLD: Sharli Brady, UMIZ, 4:42.70
- SILVER: Fantine Lesaffre, FRA, 4:43.25
- BRONZE: Vanessa Pearl, MTRO, 4:44.80
Missouri’s Sharli Brady got off to a steady lead through the first 200 meters, but was overtaken by France’s Fantine LeSaffre on the breaststroke leg. Brady hung in there enough to take back the lead on the freestyle leg, though, and took off down the final stretch to win it in 4:42.70 to LeSaffre’s 4:43.25.
Metroplex Aquatics’ Vanessa Pearl made a huge move on the breaststroke leg, running down Mia Nonnenberg(4:45.97) and Florida’s Kay Sargent (4:46.07). Pearl touched in 4:44.80 for the bronze, followed by Nonnenberg and Sargent. The Gators also had Hannah Burns (4:46.88) and Savanna Faulconer (4:47.64) come in behind Sargent.
