Ashlea Gierke dominates Women’s 400m IM meet: Day three – 2011 USA Swimming Sectionals, Mount Hood
Unattached-IE’s Ashlea Gierke dominated the Women’s 400m Individual Medley final with her impressive swim on day three of the 2011 USA Swimming Sectionals in Mount Hood, Oregon.
Gierke earlier dominated the preliminary rounds of the same meet and qualified as the fastest swimmer into the finals. She then sustained her fastest qualification spot and clinched the gold medal of the respective category in a winning time of 4 minutes
and 53.54 seconds.
Her time was considerably behind the world mark of 4 minutes and 29.45 seconds, made by Australian swimmer, Stephanie Rice in 2008. She was almost 21.42 seconds away from the American mark of 4 minutes and 31.12 seconds, set by Katie Hoff of USA in 2008.
She was also 12.03 seconds behind Caitlin Leverenz’s meet record of 4 minutes and 41.51 seconds. Nevertheless, the gold medallist was comfortably under the Olympic Trials qualification standard of 4 minutes and 55.89 seconds.
She was followed by Alexander Suppan of DU Hilltoppers-C, who won the silver medal behind Gierke, by submitting an effort of 4 minutes and 57.79 seconds. Kathryn Kinnear of Issaquah Swim Team reached the podium for the bronze medal, as she ended her swim
in a time of 4 minutes and 58.19 seconds.
She was followed by Lisa N Bratton of Tri-City Channel, who finished her swim in the fourth fastest place, by reporting in a time of 5 minutes and 00.71 seconds. Hannah Taylor of Mighty Marlins S then completed her swim in the fifth fastest place, with a
timing of 5 minutes and 03.53 seconds.
Moments later, Bridge McNally and Jessica James concluded their swims in the sixth and seventh fastest positions, with timings of 5:04.94 and 5:05.17 minutes, respectively. Shelly Drozda of Front Range Barr was the eighth finisher of the eight-lap swim,
as she posted a time of 5 minutes and 06.46 seconds.
Furthermore, the session concluded after the completion of all the scheduled swimming events, while the winners were awarded with podium finishes for their commendable swims in the 400m event.
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