Stanford Takes Down American, NCAA Record in Women’s 800 Free Relay; Katie Ledecky Anchors

Photo Courtesy: Stanford Athletics

The Stanford women won their second relay to open the women’s Pac-12 championships, taking the 800 free relay in American and NCAA record-time. The foursome of Lia Neal (1:43.34), Katie Drabot (1:43.43), Ella Eastin (1:42.37) and Katie Ledecky (1:40.28) finished in 6:49.42, taking down the previous mark of 6:50.18 set by Cal at the same meet two years ago.

Notably, the Cardinal pulled off this record-breaking swim without the services of Simone Manuel. Swimmers can swim a maximum of three individual events and four relays or two individual events and five relays at a championship meet, so Stanford coach Greg Meehan apparently decided that this would be the relay he held Manuel out of. The strategy obviously paid off in a big way.

California, propelled by a 1:42.82 split from Katie McLaughlin, finished second in 6:53.37, and USC was third in 6:54.24 after Louise Hansson led off in 1:42.10.

Splits:

  1 STAN-PC  'A'                        6:55.54    6:49.42   64  
     1) Neal, Lia SR                  2) Drabot, Katie FR             
     3) Eastin, Ella SO               4) Ledecky, Katie FR            
       24.07    50.02  1:16.68  1:43.34
       23.74    50.10  1:16.52  1:43.43
       23.91    49.91  1:16.09  1:42.37
       23.02    48.42  1:14.45  1:40.28

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