Shannon Vreel earns Women’s 800m freestyle gold medal: Day One – 2011 USA Swimming Sectionals
Shannon N Vreel earned the title of Women’s 800m freestyle by dominating the final round on the initial day of the 2011 USA Swimming Sectionals.
The first event of the session was 800m freestyle, where ABSC’s Vreel out-performed her fellow swimmers. The 19-year-old claimed the title of the event in an undisputed time of 8 minutes and 49.04 seconds. She also stayed 0.30 seconds away from her closest
competitor, Katie L Gardock, who followed her on the podium for the silver medal by clocking a time of 8 minutes and 49.34 seconds.
In the meantime, the arena was impressed with the performance of 14-year-old swimmer, Leah C Stevens of LAK, who was 3.42 seconds behind the silver medallist and touched the wall in 8 minutes and 52.76 seconds.
Vreel was dominant for the gold medal of the event from the start of the race. The 19-year-old swimmer gained a comfortable lead over her fellow competitors in the first lap of the 800m event, while she continued her dominance throughout the 16-lap swim.
She had a prominent lead of almost four seconds in the second last lap, which was then reduced to 0.30 seconds in the final lap by Gardock, who struggled hard to snatch the title from Vreel.
The fourth position of the event went to Rose R O’Connor of Duke, who was nearly ten seconds behind the third finisher and clocked a time of 9 minutes and 02.08 seconds. She was followed by Jackie E Rudolp of Unat Auburn, who was just 0.58 seconds slower
and occupied the fifth position in a time of 9 minutes and 02.66 seconds.
ABSC’s Kelsey Gaid and SA’s Rachael K Dudle appeared as the sixth and seventh fastest swimmers, as they posted timings of 9:02.70 and 9:03.79 minutes, respectively. Victoria P Mitchell of Mor Wolfpack finished her swim in the eighth fastest place, by touching
the wall in 9 minutes and 03.98 seconds.
The session concluded after the completion of all scheduled events, while the arena appreciated the stunning efforts of all participants.
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