Leah Smith Opens Final Night Of TYR Pro Swim Series With Close 800 Free Win

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

Leah Smith held off a charging Hali Flickinger to take the opening win in the 800 free at the 2019 TYR Pro Swim Series Des Moines, 8:29.12 to 8:29.96. Those two battled it out throughout the race, remaining relatively even through the 400 before Smith managed to separate herself a bit in the second half. That gives Smith the fastest time in the world for 2019.

Flinkinger did have a strong push over the last 100 to bring the race within a second, but it wasn’t enough to get to Smith. The two were well ahead of the rest of the field, finishing nearly 10 seconds ahead of third place Kaersten Meitz (8:38.98).

 Event 24  Women 800 LC Meter Freestyle
==================================================================
        World: W 8:04.79  8/7/2016  Katie Ledecky, USA
     American: A 8:04.79  8/7/2016  Katie Ledecky, USA
    U.S. Open: O 8:06.68  1/17/2016 Katie Ledecky, Nation's Capital
     Jr World: J 8:11.00  6/22/2014 Katie Ledecky, USA
     Pro Swim: P 8:06.68  2016      Katie Ledecky
    Trial Cut: T 8:48.09
    Name            Age Team                 Seed     Finals  FINA       
==================================================================
  1 Leah Smith       23 Tucson Ford Deal  8:17.21    8:29.12T  863  
    r:+0.78  29.68      1:01.34 (31.66)
        1:32.98 (31.64)     2:05.31 (32.33)
        2:37.53 (32.22)     3:10.28 (32.75)
        3:42.66 (32.38)     4:15.29 (32.63)
        4:47.17 (31.88)     5:19.34 (32.17)
        5:51.38 (32.04)     6:23.36 (31.98)
        6:55.28 (31.92)     7:27.39 (32.11)
        7:58.65 (31.26)     8:29.12 (30.47)
  2 Hali Flickinger  24 Athens Bulldog S  8:31.03    8:29.96T  859  
    r:+0.74  29.75      1:01.57 (31.82)
        1:33.22 (31.65)     2:05.51 (32.29)
        2:37.63 (32.12)     3:10.25 (32.62)
        3:42.72 (32.47)     4:15.38 (32.66)
        4:47.66 (32.28)     5:19.84 (32.18)
        5:52.20 (32.36)     6:24.51 (32.31)
        6:56.59 (32.08)     7:28.59 (32.00)
        7:59.80 (31.21)     8:29.96 (30.16)
  3 Kaersten Meitz   23 Boilermaker Aqua  8:34.30    8:38.98T  815  
    r:+0.85  30.71      1:03.09 (32.38)
        1:35.80 (32.71)     2:08.32 (32.52)
        2:40.97 (32.65)     3:13.47 (32.50)
        3:46.17 (32.70)     4:18.72 (32.55)
        4:51.31 (32.59)     5:23.74 (32.43)
        5:56.61 (32.87)     6:29.30 (32.69)
        7:02.10 (32.80)     7:34.70 (32.60)
        8:07.36 (32.66)     8:38.98 (31.62)
  4 Kristel Kobrich  33 Chile             8:33.82    8:42.11   800  
    r:+0.82  30.37      1:02.81 (32.44)
        1:35.13 (32.32)     2:07.89 (32.76)
        2:40.45 (32.56)     3:13.54 (33.09)
        3:46.49 (32.95)     4:19.56 (33.07)
        4:52.37 (32.81)     5:25.54 (33.17)
        5:58.11 (32.57)     6:31.23 (33.12)
        7:03.85 (32.62)     7:37.00 (33.15)
        8:09.62 (32.62)     8:42.11 (32.49)
  5 Emma O'Croinin   15 Edmonton Keyano   8:40.53    8:52.57   754  
    r:+0.82  30.18      1:02.86 (32.68)
        1:36.33 (33.47)     2:09.49 (33.16)
        2:43.20 (33.71)     3:16.72 (33.52)
        3:50.38 (33.66)     4:23.98 (33.60)
        4:57.69 (33.71)     5:31.16 (33.47)
        6:04.81 (33.65)     6:38.42 (33.61)
        7:12.18 (33.76)     7:45.92 (33.74)
        8:19.77 (33.85)     8:52.57 (32.80)
  6 Katy Campbell    25 Team Santa Monic  8:35.74    8:54.70   745  
    r:+0.79  31.10      1:03.95 (32.85)
        1:36.96 (33.01)     2:10.34 (33.38)
        2:43.39 (33.05)     3:17.06 (33.67)
        3:50.47 (33.41)     4:24.19 (33.72)
        4:57.09 (32.90)     5:31.01 (33.92)
        6:04.73 (33.72)     6:38.91 (34.18)
        7:12.95 (34.04)     7:47.25 (34.30)
        8:21.26 (34.01)     8:54.70 (33.44)
  7 Yara Hierath     17 Badger Swim Club  8:47.61    8:55.10   743  
    r:+0.73  30.71      1:03.65 (32.94)
        1:37.28 (33.63)     2:10.85 (33.57)
        2:44.64 (33.79)     3:18.22 (33.58)
        3:52.28 (34.06)     4:26.17 (33.89)
        5:00.26 (34.09)     5:33.92 (33.66)
        6:08.12 (34.20)     6:41.89 (33.77)
        7:16.11 (34.22)     7:49.93 (33.82)
        8:23.40 (33.47)     8:55.10 (31.70)
  8 Nicole Oliva     17 Unattached        8:48.62    8:56.34   738  
    r:+0.72  30.04      1:02.43 (32.39)
        1:35.87 (33.44)     2:09.41 (33.54)
        2:43.07 (33.66)     3:16.80 (33.73)
        3:50.84 (34.04)     4:24.64 (33.80)
        4:58.66 (34.02)     5:32.65 (33.99)
        6:06.90 (34.25)     6:40.81 (33.91)
        7:15.14 (34.33)     7:49.55 (34.41)
        8:23.86 (34.31)     8:56.34 (32.48)

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