Katie Ledecky dominates 1500 for third title at US Swimming Championships
Ledecky won the event in 15 minutes, 36.76 seconds, which was 16 seconds shy of the world record she set in 2018.
'I just wanted to put together a pretty even swim, hold a good pace,' Ledecky said afterward. 'That one hurt, but I'll take it.'
Ledecky held a big lead throughout the entire race. Jillian Cox finished 29 seconds behind in 16:05.88 and Kate Hurst reached the wall in 16:16.06.
Katie Ledecky wins 800m crown as US swim championships begin
Ledecky earned titles in the 400 and 800 meters earlier in the meet.
Gretchen Walsh also won her third title of the week by winning the 50 freestyle in 23.91 seconds to set a U.S. record. Torri Huske (23.98) finished second and Katie Douglass (24.04) was third.
Walsh's other victories came in the 50 butterfly and the 100 butterfly.
Bobby Finke picked up his third title of the meet by dominating the men's 800 meters, winning in 7:43.13. Rex Maurer (7:49.53) and David Johnson (7:49.85) were next in line.
'I was just trying to race the guys behind me,' Finke said. 'I knew they've been having an incredible meet.'
Finke also won the 400 individual medley and the 1500 freestyle.
In the 200 individual medley, Shaine Casas (1:55.73) edged Carson Foster (1:55.76) for the victory.
Alex Walsh won the women's 200 IM in 2:08.45, beating Phoebe Bacon (2:09.22).
Jack Alexy swam 21.36 seconds to win the men's 50 free. Santo Condorelli (21.68) was second.
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2 days ago
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Ledecky reigns over McIntosh
Gold medallist Katie Ledecky celebrates with her medal after winning the women's 800m freestyle final alongside bronze medallist Canada's Summer McIntosh. PHOTO: REUTERS Katie Ledecky beat Summer McIntosh to win an epic 800m freestyle world title in Singapore on Saturday as the record-breaking United States hit back at their critics. On a Super Saturday for the embattled Americans, who have been struggling with illness in Singapore, Ledecky won her seventh career world gold in the event she has made her own. But the legendary American was challenged like never before, touching the wall in a championship-record 8min 05.62sec — a fingertip ahead of Australia's Lani Pallister (8:05.98) and McIntosh (8:07.29). It was Canadian sensation McIntosh's first defeat of the championships and ended her bid to match Michael Phelps as the only swimmer ever to win five individual golds at a single world championships. The 18-year-old has already won three golds this week in Singapore. Ledecky, 28, had too much staying power for her younger rival, with Pallister also in gold-medal contention until the final lunge for the line. "They pushed me all the way," said Ledecky, a four-time Olympic champion in the event. "I'm just really happy I could put that together. I just kept telling myself to trust my legs." The United States team, under the cosh after criticism from Olympic greats Phelps and Ryan Lochte, won three golds on the penultimate day of competition. They lead the medals table from Australia with eight golds following victories on Saturday from Ledecky, Gretchen Walsh and their mixed 4x100m freestyle relay team -- the latter in a world record time. A newly fit and firing Walsh completed a butterfly double, romping to victory in the 50m. The American, who won the 100m butterfly earlier in the week, touched the wall in 24.83sec, beating Australia's Alexandria Perkins (25.31) and Belgium's Roos Vanotterdijk (25.43). Walsh said she felt "fragile" before her 100m win after going down with a stomach bug that has swept through the American camp -- and triggered questions from Phelps and Lochte about the management of the team. She was back to full strength for the fast and furious 50m, which will become an Olympic event for the first time at the 2028 Los Angeles Games. "I'm very proud," said the 22-year-old, calling it a "rocky" competition for her despite the double success. She labelled the criticism from Phelps and Lochte "frustrating". To cap off a golden day for the Americans, they took gold in 3:18.48sec in the relay, beating Australia's previous leading time of 3:18.83 set in 2023. Australia won two golds on the night to add to their haul of seven golds overall. New father Cam McEvoy powered to the men's 50m freestyle gold to go with his Paris Olympics crown and Kaylee McKeown embellished her dominance in the women's backstroke. The 31-year-old McEvoy — who is at his seventh world championships — reclaimed the title he won in 2023 after turning on the afterburners in the second half of the sprint to win in a sizzling 21.14sec. Britain's Ben Proud took silver in 21.26, with Jack Alexy of the United States in bronze in 21.46. McKeown added the 200m backstroke crown to her 100m title. McKeown again got the better of Regan Smith, touching the wall in a championships-record 2:03.33 to beat her American arch-rival into second place in 2:04.29. McKeown also won the 100-200 backstroke double at the Tokyo and Paris Olympics. France's Maxime Grousset also sealed a Singapore individual double with a rampant victory in the men's 100m butterfly, to complement his 50m gold. Grousset's time of 49.62sec was the third-fastest ever.
Business Recorder
08-06-2025
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Katie Ledecky dominates 1500 for third title at US Swimming Championships
Katie Ledecky won her third national title of the week on Saturday when she cruised to a victory in the women's 1500 meters at the U.S. Swimming Championships in Indianapolis. Ledecky won the event in 15 minutes, 36.76 seconds, which was 16 seconds shy of the world record she set in 2018. 'I just wanted to put together a pretty even swim, hold a good pace,' Ledecky said afterward. 'That one hurt, but I'll take it.' Ledecky held a big lead throughout the entire race. Jillian Cox finished 29 seconds behind in 16:05.88 and Kate Hurst reached the wall in 16:16.06. Katie Ledecky wins 800m crown as US swim championships begin Ledecky earned titles in the 400 and 800 meters earlier in the meet. Gretchen Walsh also won her third title of the week by winning the 50 freestyle in 23.91 seconds to set a U.S. record. Torri Huske (23.98) finished second and Katie Douglass (24.04) was third. Walsh's other victories came in the 50 butterfly and the 100 butterfly. Bobby Finke picked up his third title of the meet by dominating the men's 800 meters, winning in 7:43.13. Rex Maurer (7:49.53) and David Johnson (7:49.85) were next in line. 'I was just trying to race the guys behind me,' Finke said. 'I knew they've been having an incredible meet.' Finke also won the 400 individual medley and the 1500 freestyle. In the 200 individual medley, Shaine Casas (1:55.73) edged Carson Foster (1:55.76) for the victory. Alex Walsh won the women's 200 IM in 2:08.45, beating Phoebe Bacon (2:09.22). Jack Alexy swam 21.36 seconds to win the men's 50 free. Santo Condorelli (21.68) was second.
Business Recorder
04-06-2025
- Business Recorder
Katie Ledecky wins 800m crown as US swim championships begin
CHICAGO: World record-holder Katie Ledecky booked her place at the World Swimming Championship on Tuesday with a women's 800-meter freestyle victory on the opening day of the US national championships at Indianapolis. Nine-time Olympic champion Ledecky, who has won 800 free gold at the past four Olympics and 1,500 free gold in the past two, is a 21-time long course world champion and captured her 31st US crown by taking the 800 in 8mins, 5.76secs. Claire Weinstein was a distant second in 8:19.67. The top two finishers in each event plus relay swimmers in the 100m and 200m freestyles will make the US team for the worlds in Singapore from July 11-August 3 provided they meet qualifying time standards up to a maximum of 26 men and women. Ledecky is expected to swim the 200, 400 and 1,500 freestyles later in the meet, which continues through Saturday at Indiana University Natatorium. A month ago at the US swim series event in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Ledecky swam the second-fastest 1,500 freestyle in history, her second-best 400 time and a new 800 free world record of 8:04.12. Bobby Finke, who set the men's 1,500 world record of 14:30.67 to defend Olympic gold at Paris, won the US 1,500m crown in 14:48.65. American Ledecky breaks own 800m freestyle world record Three-time Olympic medalist Torri Huske won the women's 100 free in 52.43, .35 ahead of four-time Olympic medalist Gretchen Walsh, while Jack Alexy, a member of the US 4x100 free relay champions, won the men's 100 freestyle in 47.17 with Patrick Sammon second, .30 adrift. Caroline Bricker took the women's 200 butterfly in 2:05.80 with eight-time Olympic medalist Regan Smith second, .05 back.
