Leah Stevens dominates Women’s 500 yard freestyle prelims – Speedo Winter Junior Nationals
Leah Stevens of Lakeside Swim Team dominated the qualification round of Women’s 500 yard freestyle on opening day of the 2012 Speedo Winter Junior National Championships at University of Tennessee, Knoxville on Thursday, December 6.
The 16-year-old went full rampant in the first round of the race as she dismantled hopes of her opponents by proving her eligibility for the fastest qualification spot of the event.
With her persistent efforts Stevens remained prominently ahead of her toughest challenger and tapped the wall for top spot by clocking a time of 4 minutes and 43.10 seconds.
Her commendable form remained 2.54 seconds ahead of Cecilia Williams of Area Tallahassee, who qualified into the playoff as second best finisher by touching the wall with a timing of 4 minutes and 45.64 seconds.
Williams was chased by Sydney Lofquist of Dayton Raiders-O, who was nearly two body lengths slower from her foregoing finisher and touched the wall with a timing of 4 minutes and 47.86 seconds.
Fourth finest qualification spot of the race was obtained by Zoe Thatcher of Mason Manta Rays, who was 0.28 seconds slower from her and hit the finishing end with an effort of 4 minutes and 48.14 seconds.
Thatcher was followed by Eryn Eddy of Loveland Swim Club, who was only 0.10 seconds apart and surfaced on the finishing end with the timing of 4 minutes and 48.24 seconds.
Sixth finest spot of the race was secured by Ashlee Korsberg of Crimson Aquatics, who stayed more than a body length behind and ended her race in a time of 4 minutes and 49.49 seconds.
Similarly, Korsberg remained 0.11 seconds ahead of Hannah Moore of Raleigh Swimming, who was able to occupy seventh qualifying position by producing a time of 4 minutes and 49.60 seconds.
Moore was followed by Sandra Soe of Santa Clara Swim, who stayed 0.12 seconds slower from her preceding swimmer and posted a time of 4 minutes and 49.72 seconds.
Furthermore, Stevens was hopeful of overpowering her challengers once again in the playoff as she unveiled her plans of continuing the same for gold medal.
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