Leah Smith, Tommy-Lee Camblong kick-start Pro Swim Series San Antonio
With 800m freestyle, final top-notch warm-up for next month's U.S. World Championship trials start in Texas.
Swimming
Leah Smith and Tommy-Lee Camblong breezed to victory in the 800-metre freestyle as the Pro Swim Series San Antonio got under way on Wednesday (31 March).
Smith kicked things off at the four-day event in Texas by winning the women's race in 8.22.80 at the Northside Swim Center.
Camblong followed in the men's event, winning in 7:59.08. Both he and Smith finished more than eight seconds ahead of the rest of the field.
Seven-time Olympic champion freestyler Katie Ledecky did not enter. She is pencilled in for the 200m and 400m, and will appear on Thursday alongside Caeleb Dressel who is set to start in the men's 200m free and 100m butterfly.
Smith took four seconds off her time from the Pro Swim Series Westmont earlier this month. According to USA Swimming, it was the fastest she had swum since 2019.
"That swim felt good, I am pretty happy with my time," Smith said on usaswimming.org.
"I’m just happy to be in San Antonio. This is where our Olympic Team camp was back in 2016 so it brings back some pretty good memories.
“It’s exciting that we are getting so close to [the Phillips 66 International Team Trials], I’m taking things one step at a time. This race was pretty good for me to gear up for a meet like Trials.”
San Antonio is the last high-level tune-up ahead of next month's U.S. trials for the 18 June-3 July World Championships in Budapest.
In addition to the 200m free and 100m fly, Thursday's card features the 100m breaststroke and 400m individual medley.