The women’s 500 free was the race of the night, Missy Franklin’s first NCAA Championship final.
Expectations were huge for the Olympic superstar, and she delivered her best, 4:32.66, but lost to Georgia’s Brittany MacLean, 4:32.53. Both MacLean and Franklin were under Allison Schmitt’s 2011 NCAA Record of 4:32.71. MacLean clipped Franklin on the last 50 of the 500 with a big 6-beat kick.
Getting rundown at the end of a race can be emotionally crushing for athletes, despite the facts; a best time, under NCAA Record pace, a balanced race split-wise.
In the mixed zone, the media room, we wondered how Franklin would react. It was a tough first day, but Franklin’s composure was relaxed and professional, the swimmer we all know and respect. More than anything, it was clear the NCAA Championships is a very different venue for the Olympic star, an exhausting one, but well worth the challenge.
She is such a good role model, I wish she had won, hopefully she will win next time!
She is such a good role model!! I wish she had won, hopefully she will win next time!
Wow. What a great representative for swimming. I’m a Stanford fan, but she’s definitely won me over with her humility and personality. Great to see this type of attitude, even from an elite athlete such as Franklin.
Congrats Missy!
You are the best female swimmer of the world and you accept to put yourself in danger in an off event for the good of your team.
For the first time in a big championship you have swum a distance higher than 200 yards or meters while you are a 100/200 specialist.
It’s courageous and full of humility.
You did very well with a new PB under the previous NCAA record.
And all the training you do for that race will help a lot your 200 free, especially your last 50.
You haven’t lost. Miss MacLean has won. It’s different.
Rather, I think you have even won more fans.
Very well put there Bobo!
Couldn’t have said it better myself (and English is my native language!)
Missy continues to amaze me with her humility. She will set this 200 on fire just as she plans. Her time will be insanely fast I can just feel it.