Hurst grinds to national title win in 800m free
Kate Hurst withstood the hurt to win the women's 800m freestyle at the USA Swimming National Championships in 8:28.33, nearly three second ahead of the runner-up finisher.
Video Transcript
Kate Hurst, fourth at the World University Games last summer in this race, representing Longhorn Aquatics.
Kate Hurst She's 20 years of age.
Katie McCarthy from the University of Minnesota, 21.
Number 16, 2025 Summer National Championships, Minnesota Records representing the University of Minnesota She'll have pride for the Golden Gophers in lane six.
Lane seven, Kayla Han from La Mirada Armada here in California.
The 18-year-old swam at the 2024 Worlds in this event.
And Alex Segal from Long Island Aquatic Club, the 16-year-old, third in the 800 free at the US Open in this race back in December.
Alex Segal.
Nikitarov, again, winning the title at the World University Games last summer in Germany, so certainly comes in here with a good pedigree, and the best, lifetime best by over two and a half seconds.
And Kate Hurst trying to push her as well in lane number five.
Take your marks.
It seems weird to see a race like this, such a high-profile race, without the name of a Katie Ledecky.
But, you know, this is a good chance to kind of talk about peek into the future.
Good chance to see some of these swimmers, because that, that second spot is, I, I wo- I, it's, it's certainly not a slam dunk.
I, I wouldn't say it's wide open.
You got Claire Weinstein, Jillian Cox, but this is a chance for some of these swimmers to kind of get in there.
And when we talk about some swimmers that have actually made a huge mark in this event, and the 1500 freestyle, she's sitting right next to us, Jason.
Yeah.
Erica Sullivan, Tokyo Olympic silver medalist in the 1500 freestyle, sliding in alongside to chat with us.
Now retired, but still immersed in the sport.
Erica, how are you?
I'm doing good.
Can you guys hear me?
Yeah.
We can.
We can hear you perfectly.
What do you think when, when you sit here now and observe from a completely different perspective, not that far removed?
Yeah, I mean, it's an interesting perspective.
I definitely miss it, and it's always fun getting to see some fast racing here in Irvine.
This is where I made my first Pan Pac team in 2018, so it's good to be back.
Hurst continuing to control things, just off the podium at the World University Games in this race last summer.
Got the chance to swim the 1500 for the United States at the 2024 Worlds, and here looking strong down the stretch as she hears the bell for the final 100 meters here in the 800 free.
Okay, Erica, can you hear the bell?
Absolutely.
I can close my eyes and hear it sometimes in my dreams.
You dream about that bell, right?
Yeah, yeah.
So when you hear that bell lap, when, let's go back to Tokyo.
When you heard that bell lap, did you feel like, "Oh my gosh, I'm gonna win the silver medal.
I've got it made here"?
Yeah, I tried to not get my hopes up too much.
I did see myself catching Katie those last- Right 300 there, but whenever I hear the bell, I knew that it's time for my legs to go into full steam.
Yeah, yeah.
I want to see a lot of white water behind myself because, you know, obviously my arms are gonna be tired.
Did you count your strokes the last 50?
Absolutely.
Oh my gosh.
You distance swimmers- I cannot relate.
Into the top five with a 17.9 Kate Hurst powering her way at the mid portion of this race to the front, and staying there down the stretch.
She'll have enough to hold off Jorgensen and everybody else here at the Toyota National Championships to grab gold in the women's 800 free.
828.33 seconds for her as she delivers a new personal best.
She delivers a personal best with 100 and the money for second place finish.
New PB for Hurst by about a half second, and grabbing the win here in the 800 free.
Top three swimmers all go their best times.
Third place And again, Erica, when you watch that stroke, what are you thinking as far as the way Kate is looking right now?
Yeah, I'm loving the way that she's tempoing up into that finish there.
I would like to see a little bit more of it to make big moves throughout the race, but you know, having that much energy, that gear up that last 100 is massive for sure.
I mean, you look at the top five swimmers, top four swimmers all went their best time.
Again, great racing here in the women's 800 free.
Hurst the best of the bunch in this grouping.
And again, these are timed finals, the other 800s earlier today.
And Hurst able to deliver the win.
And Kate joins us now.
Kate, congratulations on the win.
New lifetime best by about a half second as well.
What was your mindset coming in here to try to work your way to this title?
I think I was just really focused on working the back half and trying to hang on to the pace I set, like, after the 200 mark.
So I was happy I was able to do that.
You had a tremendous composure out there, especially that first half of the race.
What was that mindset when you flipped at the 400?
I get to train with Jillian every single day- Uh-huh back at home, so she's definitely taught me to kind of keep to my own race plan, and she pushes me every day.
So I kind of flipped at that 400, and even though she's not here, during practice she'd push me to, like, go the extra mile.
So I was happy I was able to do that on the back half today.
I know your teammate, Jillian Cox, is very proud of you right now.
