Bramble Breaks School Record, Finishes Tenth in 500 Freestyle at CCCAA State Championships
(Monterey Park, CA) Allan Hancock College sophomore Leanna Bramble broke her own school record and finished tenth in the 500 yard freestyle event during day one of the CCCAA Women's Swimming State Championships in Monterey Park on Thursday evening. The three-day meet is being hosted by East Los Angeles College. Bramble finished second in the consolation final with a time of 5:20.37. Bramble, the lone Bulldog to qualify for State, earned seven points for Hancock in the team standings. The Bulldogs are in 25th place with two days remaining.
Kelsey Leonard from Diablo Valley College won the state title by taking first in the championship final with a time of 4:57.26, 11 seconds ahead of the runner-up.
Bramble improved her previous school record time of 5:21.45. The Orcutt Academy graduate qualified for the consolation final by turning in the ninth fastest time in the morning's preliminary heats with time of 5:23.23. She missed a spot in the eight-person championship final by .22 of a second.
Bramble, who won two Western State Conference titles two weeks ago, will compete in two more events at the State Championships. She will swim in the 100 yard breaststroke on Friday, and compete in the 200 yard breaststroke on Saturday. The five-time WSC champion's qualifying times rank seventh in the field of 20 in the 100 yard breaststroke and third in the field of 21 in the 200 breaststroke.
Last year, Bramble competed in three events at the State Championships. She finished seventh in the 100 breaststroke, 10th in the 100 yard individual medley and 13th in the 200 yard I.M. She helped Hancock finish 24th out of the 48 teams competing at State.