Men’s 400 Free (Elijah Winnington)
The top of the leader board in the men’s 400 free was filled with some youngsters as 19-year-old Australian swimmer, Elijah Winnington, took home his second 2019 national championship title. The Aussie beat 18-year-old, Carmel Swim Club member, Jake Mitchell. Winnington held strong splits throughout the race and maintained a steady lead for the entirety of the 400, finishing with a time of 3:47.39.
Mitchell, who finished in fifth place in the 200 free at this years Phillips 66 National Championships, was seeded at sixth going into the final. However, his determination to keep up with Winnington showed as he trailed behind the Australian lap after lap. Finishing with a time of 3:48.09, Mitchell earned himself a silver medal in the men’s 400 free.
National champ in the men’s 1500 free, Bobby Finke, took home a bronze medal in the men’s 400 free. Finke not only dropped more than two seconds off of his prelims swim, but also leap-frogged ahead from seventh to third place with a time of 3:48.17.
Eric Knowles followed just behind Finke, touching the wall at 3:48.34. The Wolf Pack Elite swimmer made other final appearances at this years national championships in the 200 free and 1500 free as well.
fifth place finisher was Trenton Julian. The Cal-Berkeley swimmer is well known in the NCAA for his performances in 400 I.M. and 200 fly. Julian dropped about a second from his prelims time, hitting the touchpad at 3:49.47.
Patrick Callan finished in sixth place with a time of 3:50.37.
Battling out the last two places within the A final were Mitch D’Arrigo representing Gator Swim Club and Zach Yeadon swimming for Irish Aquatics. D’Arrigo was seeded third going into the event, but added a little over a second from his prelims swim, putting him in seventh place with a time of 3:50.37. Meanwhile, Yeadon maintained his eighth place seed, finishing with a time of 3:51.16 which matched his time from his prelims.
