U.S. Nationals: Leah Smith Tops Katie Ledecky in Women’s 400 IM Prelims; Max Litchfield First in Men’s 400 IM

Leah Smith -- Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

U.S. Nationals: Leah Smith Tops Katie Ledecky in Women’s 400 IM Prelims; Max Litchfield First in Men’s 400 IM

Two of the world’s best middle-distance freestylers paced the field in the women’s 400 IM prelims at U.S. Nationals. Leading the way was Leah Smith, now representing Longhorn Aquatics, and the 27-year-old finished more than eight seconds ahead of her heat, posting a time of 4:37.46. Smith was the bronze medalist in the 400 freestyle at last month’s World Championships before helping the U.S. women to gold in the 800 free relay, and most of her career accomplishments have come in freestyle, but she did finish sixth in the 400 IM at the 2017 World Championships, and she was fourth in a tight race in the event at the 2021 Olympic Trials.

Smith did not swim the 400 IM at the International Team Trials in April, but her prelims time was quicker than Emma Weyant’s second-place mark of 4:37.72, although Weyant did swim faster at Worlds when she went 4:36.00 to win bronze behind teenagers Summer McIntosh of Canada and Katie Grimes of the U.S.

In the final, Smith will face off with familiar rival Katie Ledecky, who is racing the 400 IM at a national-level long course meet for the first time, although she has twice broken the American record in the 400-yard IM. Like Smith, Ledecky comfortably won her prelims heat as she posted a time of 4:41.84, and she will hold lane five for the final in what should be an interesting race against Smith.

Michigan’s Kathryn Ackerman was third in 4:46.13, just ahead of Indiana’s Mariah Denigan (4:46.87) and Gator’s Kathleen Golding (4:46.93). Also qualifying for the final were Sun Devil’s Lindsay Looney (4:47.64), Ohio State’s Felicia Pasadyn (4:48.47) and Nashville’s Ella Nelson (4:48.59).

Mackenzie Looze, the national champion in Wednesday night’s 200 breaststroke, originally qualified for the final as well with her mark of 4:48.72, but an overturned disqualification left her in ninth place.

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In the men’s 400 IM, the top seed went to the fourth-place finisher from last year’s Olympics, Great Britain’s Max Litchfield. Litchfield is appearing at U.S. Nationals after missing the World Championships and Commonwealth Games, and he recorded a mark of 4:14.07 to edge out Kevin Vargas in their prelims heat. Vargas swam a mark of 4:14.27, dropping three seconds from his seed time, to claim second in qualifying.

Kieran Smith, the Olympic bronze medalist in the 400 free last year and the third-fastest American ever in the 200 free, qualified third in this event in 4:16.51. Smith was racing in an outside lane in an early heat, but before he became one of the best mid-distance freestylers in the world, he was originally an individual medley standout, so this 400 IM marks a return to his roots.

David Johnston of The Swim Team and Texas placed fourth in 4:17.41, while SwimMAC’s Baylor Nelson (4:17.63), Cal’s Sean Grieshop (4:18.22), Mason Manta Rays/Texas’ Jake Foster (4:19.10) and Australia’s Elliot Rogerson (4:19.42) also made it into the A-final. Bobby Finke competed in the 400 IM prelims after he was third in the event at International Team Trials, but he ended up 11th in prelims in 4:20.34, almost 10 seconds off his seed time.

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