Leah Smith Sparks Top 20 400 Free at Potomac Valley Senior Champs

COLLEGE PARK, Maryland, July 18. A day after Katie Ledecky lit up the 200 free, Leah Smith turned in a world-class effort in the 400 free at the Potomac Valley Senior Championships.

Leah Smith set a lifetime best in the women’s 400-meter free with a sizzling time of 4:06.93. Not only did it beat the 4:07.01 she set at the 2012 Junior Pan Pacific Championships, it also vaulted her to 17th in the world rankings this year. She is currently second in the U.S. behind Katie Ledecky’s astonishing 4:03.09 from The Woodlands Senior Invitational. Isabella Rongione, one of Ledecky’s training partners, took second in 4:16.69 with Hanne Borgersen pocketing third in 4:17.23.

Carsten Vissering cruised to victory in the men’s 200-meter breaststroke with a 2:16.28, while training partner Andrew Seliskar finished second in 2:18.16. Eric Holden wound up third in 2:18.88. Seliskar then won the men’s 400-meter free in 3:57.53. Brian Tsau (4:00.61) and Rodney Fentress (4:01.47) bracketed him on the podium.

Jenna Van Camp picked up the women’s 200-meter breaststroke win in 2:36.51, while Natalie Martin placed second in 2:37.42. Mary Tansill rounded out the top three in 2:37.88.

Morgan Hill claimed the women’s 50-meter free title in 25.82 with Hannah Baker (26.45) and Cassidy Bayer (26.76) finishing second and third. Jack Conger hit the wall in 23.01 to top the men’s 50-meter free. James Jones (23.33) and Sean Fletcher (23.67) comprised the rest of the podium in the finale.

Courtney Bartholomew blasted the women’s 100-meter backstroke finale in 1:01.71 with Kaitlyn Jones earning second in 1:03.28. Carrie Boone finished third in the final heat with a 1:03.40. Luke Papendick clinched the men’s 100-meter back in 55.88 with Charles Putnam taking second in 58.03. John Shebat picked up third in 58.53.

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