2018 WOMEN’S NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Wednesday, March 14th – Saturday, March 17th
- McCorkle Aquatic Pavillion — Columbus, OH
- Prelims 9AM/Finals 5PM (Eastern Time)
- Defending Champion: Stanford (results)
- Live stream: Wednesday/Thursday Prelims & Finals, Friday/Saturday Prelims / Friday/Saturday finals on ESPNU
- Championship Central
- Event-by-Event Previews
- Psych Sheet
- Friday Finals Heat Sheet
- Live Results
The stage was set for a showdown between Stanford teammates Katie Ledecky and Ella Eastin to battle for the 400 IM record tonight. After she smashed the 200 IM American Record on night 1, swimming fans knew Eastin had a shot to top Ledecky, who had broken the 400 IM American Record just last month at Pac-12s.
Ledecky took the lead up front through the fly split, but it wasn’t long before Eastin would take over for good. She was about half a second ahead of Ledecky after backstroke, but extended her lead to body lengths after the breast leg. Even Ledecky wasn’t able to reel her in on the free leg, as Eastin posted a dominant 3:54.60 to smash the former NCAA and American Record by almost 2 seconds.
You can see a video of the race below, courtesy of Texas A&M’s YouTube channel. You can see Eastin at the bottom of the screen throughout most of the video, though it does start to cut out some of her race when she builds a big lead. The camera is focused on A&M’s Sydney Pickrem, who placed 3rd in a lifetime best 3:59.05.
Texas A&M did the same thing last year. I’d find the video on YouTube and start watching until I realized it was specifically devoted to their swimmers, not the race itself.
Fortunately I still have the tape from ESPNU. I’ve watched this race and Mallory’s win in the 200 a few times apiece.
Frustrating to watch… I’d honestly rather have waited for a better video of the entire pool. It’s understandable that a&m would focus on their swimmer, yet still frustrating.
On the topic of Ledecky’s swim, I remember an interview with Becky Adlington during Rio, who said her training felt horrible in the build up to London, as she felt she was telling her body “Swimming, swimming, swimming” but her body just shouted harder “Baby, baby, baby”; essentially being sabotaged by her own endocrine system. Perhaps KL has a similar sensation now she’s into her 20s.
If she does, there are two key things to take from it:
1) Despite this, she is still likely to contribute two individual wins, an individual second and a decisive relay split, which is not exactly shabby;
2) For the sake of the 2044 Olympic squad, someone from USA Swimming needs… Read more »
you’re doing too much
Zoomed in on Pickrem for obvious reasons. Hopefully a better vid is available soon.
Swim of the meet so freaking fast