On the final day of the 2015 Texas Hall of Fame Invitational, Texas’ Clark Smith had one of the most impressive 15th-place finishes in history.
Smith set a new American record in the 1000-yard freestyle with a time of 8:33.93. The thing is, he did it in the first part of the 1650-yard freestyle. After setting the record in the 1000-yard event, Smith coasted to the end of the 1650-yard race and finished in 15th.
Finals started with the women’s 1650-yard freestyle. Southern California’s Elizabeth Stins won the event in 16:07.34. Wisconsin’s Matthew Hutchin won the 1650-yard freestyle in 14:38.14, a NCAA ‘A’ time standard.
Texas’ Tasija Karosas earned an ‘A’ time standard in the women’s 200-yard backstroke. Karosas posted a time of 1:50.49. Her swim set a new Texas and Big 12 record. Texas’ Ryan Harty won the men’s event in 1:40.39.
Southern California’s Anika Apostalon touched first in the 100-yard freestyle. She won by less than two-tenths of a second with a time of 48.21. Texas’ Brett Ringgold earned an ‘A’ time standard in the men’s event with a time of 42.04.
Southern California’s Kirsten Vose won by less than half a second in the 200-yard breaststroke. Vose posted a 2:07.46. Texas’ Will Licon earned an ‘A’ time standard in the men’s event. He finished in 1:52.82.
California’s Katie Grover won the women’s 200-yard butterfly. She posted a time of 1:55.45. Texas’ Joseph Schooling continued his exceptional meet. In the men’s 200-yard butterfly he posted an ‘A’ time standard of 1:40.48.
The meet concluded with the men’s and women’s 400-yard freestyle relay.
In the 400-yard freestyle relay, Southern California won with an ‘A’ time standard of 3:13.87. The Trojan team consisted of Vose, Evan Swenson, Apostalon and Chelsea Chenault. Apostalon led the way with a split of 47.95.
Texas won the men’s race with an ‘A’ time standard. The Longhorn team of Ringgold, Townley Haas, John Murray and Joseph Schooling posted a time of 2:50.72.
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As a lifelong zBruin honk I know I’ll be drummed out if the club for saying this but USC in general and froshwoman Kirsten Vose ( Sscred heart Prep,in La Canada CA.) had excellent meets.
Vose pred in both breaststrokes, dropping a second-plus in the 100 to 59.58!and 2:97.46 in tye 200. A drop of at least four- five seconds ( maybe Trojan coach Dave Salo knows a thing or three about coaching breaststroker sand isn’t just ” Sorint Sali” any longer. Can youngest Rebecca Soni? Jessica Hardy?)
Anyway a coupke of other Trohan women caught my eye, especially backer Hannah Leach from Missoula Swim Ckub ( didn’t know tgeybeven had pools in Zmissouka!) and Annika Aposralon, a junior transfer from San DiegomSt.
Apostalon’s been 21.6-47 low for tgev50-100 free @. NCAAs, both fastest all- time by a mud- major conference swimmer (SDSU competed in the WAC I believe)
Anyway if A – squared adapts to the morevstringentbenvuronment she’s in now ( and 22’2-48.2 in early Decenber ain’t too shabby) she could nake big waves come March.
KatievGriver/ Linnea Mack and Madison Wilson looked good for Bruins snd imthink Arizona coach Rick DeMont has a real unpolished in sprinter- backstroker Katrina Kinopka. Look out for her in years to come plus a male frestyler named Reny Richmind.
Texas’ Ryan Harty, a freshman, showed promise in thevIMs as did SENIIR Ckay Youngquust ( or 1:33.18!20 free). Clark Smith’s performance does not need mentioning somimwon’t nention it save to say his 4:98-plus up500’is a Bug 12 record, fourth- fastest performance all- time and less than a half- second off Peter Vanderkaay’s American record.
What’ll he do once he gets rid of those battleship anchors in HUS wrists and ankles?