USA Swimming National Championships: Julia Smit Downs American, U.S. Open Record in 200 IM – SwimmingWorld.TV Interview Included

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INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana, July 7. STANFORD's Julia Smit utilized an amazing breaststroke leg to power her way to an American record in the women's 200 IM.

While North Baltimore phenom Elizabeth Pelton, 15, shocked the crowd by being under world-record pace through the first half of the race with splits of 27.53 and 59.84, Smit used her strongest weapon to overcome the teenager in the end.

Smit completed the sprint medley with a time of 2:09.34 to lower Katie Hoff's American and U.S. Open record of 2:09.71 set at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials in Omaha, Neb. The swim also moved Smit to the top of the heap this year, surpassing Camille Muffat's 2:09.37 as the best in the world this year.

"I definitely saw [the other swimmers] out [front early on], but I had to go on the breaststroke leg to get home," Smit said. "I have been confident in my training and my program. I'm excited for the taper and this meet."

Pelton, meanwhile, upset some top stars with a second-place time of 2:11.03, bettering her lifetime best of 2:11.03. KING's Ariana Kukors (2:11.07) and ASK's Dagny Knutson (2:11.11) touched third and fourth with Olympian Elisabeth Beisel of Bluefish claiming fifth in 2:11.80.

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