By Phillip Whitten
400 meter freestyle
COLLEGE STATION, Texas, March 18. IT was a renewal of their high school rivalry in Arizona, a reprise of their battle at the Pac-10 Championships. USC’s Kalyn Keller, who set an NCAA mark of 4:03.81 in prelims, was doing battle with arch-rival Emily Mason, of Arizona. To make things interesting, another Arizona high school/Pac-10 ace – Cal’s Ashley Chandler – was in the mix.
For 350 meters the race followed a familiar pattern. Mason jumped out to a big lead, then in the back half Keller began methodically to eat away at that lead. But this time Mason didn’t follow the script. Kicking her legs into high at 300 meters, she shifted up to overdrive on the final 50, holding off a desperate challenge by Keller to win in 4:01.58 – a new NCAA record – for her first collegiate crown. Keller followed in 4;02.21, well under her mark from prelims. Florida’s Sara McLarty overtook Chandler for third.
Mason’s splits: 58.97—1:00.99—1:01.39—1:00.23
Keller’s splits: 59.71—1:01.38—1:00.74—1:00.38
Official Results: 400-Meter Freestyle Finals
EVENT: 2 WOMEN's 400 Meter Freestyle
NCAA Record: 4:04.09 Christina Teuscher Columbia 2000
World Record: 3:59.53 Lindsay Benko USA 2003
American Record: 3:59.53 Lindsay Benko USA 2003
US Open Record: 4:01.36 Sanchiko Yamada JPN 2004
QUALIFYING FOR "A" Cut: 4:45.46
QUALIFYING FOR This Meet: 4:48.00
RESULTS of FINALS
RANK NAME YEAR TEAM PRELIM TIME
CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL
1) MASON, EMILY JR ARIZONA 4:06.56 4:01.58**
:58.97 1:00.99 1:01.39 1:00.23
** NCAA Record:
2) KELLER, KALYN FR SOUTHERN CAL. 4:03.81 4:02.21
:59.71 1:01.38 1:00.74 1:00.38
3) McLARTY, SARA SR FLORIDA 4:06.64 4:05.64
1:00.42 1:02.27 1:01.56 1:01.39
4) CHANDLER, ASHLEY SO CALIFORNIA 4:06.69 4:05.89
:59.19 1:01.70 1:01.92 1:03.08
5) BINDER, ADRIENNE FR AUBURN 4:06.90 4:07.71
1:00.40 1:02.47 1:02.82 1:02.02
6) PIPER, CARLY JR WISCONSIN 4:06.37 4:08.27
1:00.15 1:02.93 1:03.06 1:02.13
7) CONWAY, LAURA SO GEORGIA 4:08.01 4:08.57
1:00.94 1:02.94 1:02.84 1:01.85
8) GILLIAM, SUSAN FR MICHIGAN 4:07.07 4:10.67
1:01.31 1:03.76 1:03.79 1:01.81
CONSOLATION FINAL
9) HENTZEN, MORGAN FR STANFORD 4:09.01 4:07.21
1:00.51 1:02.63 1:02.58 1:01.49
9) FENN, EMILY CLARE SR MICHIGAN 4:08.61 4:07.21
:59.76 1:02.43 1:02.90 1:02.12
11) KOCH, BECKY SR VILLANOVA 4:09.34 4:07.81
:59.74 1:02.71 1:03.20 1:02.16
12) LEE, GEORGINA SR SOUTHERN METHOD. 4:08.03 4:09.43
1:00.16 1:03.38 1:03.89 1:02.00
13) NELSON, KATIE FR UCLA 4:09.88 4:09.55
1:00.66 1:02.56 1:03.28 1:03.05
14) GORLESKY, ERIN SR INDIANA 4:09.45 4:10.65
1:01.53 1:03.09 1:03.26 1:02.77
15) KEEFE, MARGARET FR PENN STATE 4:10.16 4:11.19
1:00.77 1:03.28 1:03.89 1:03.25
16) KELLY, KIMI FR VIRGINIA 4:10.04 4:14.62
1:01.46 1:03.69 1:04.40 1:05.07