BOYDS, Maryland, February 9. A day after taking down the overall national high school record in the 500-yard free, Olympic gold medalist Katie Ledecky put her stamp on the independent school record in the 200-yard free at the 2013 Metro Championships while representing Stone Ridge. She then crushed her 500 free record for good measure.
While most of the swimming world had its eyes on Missy Franklin out in Colorado this weekend, even witnessing an independent school record in the 200 IM, Ledecky upstaged her and took one of her records to start the night. Ledecky clocked a 1:42.96 in the 200-yard freestyle finale, split 24.49, 50.29, 1:16.87, 1:42.96. That performance struck down Franklin's independent record of 1:43.15 set last February. It just missed Dagny Knutson's 1:42.81 from 2008 while repping Minot High in North Dakota.
Ledecky crushed her previous lifetime best in the 200 free, a 1:44.56 at the 2012 USA Swimming Winter Nationals in November, and is definitely giving colleges something more than just a distance swimmer to look at in the sprint-means-everything world of NCAA swimming. While Ledecky will be a favorite in the 500 and 1650 by the time she gets to college, adding a 200 along with 800 free relay duties ups her value even more. Tonight's swim in the 200 free moved her into the top 15 all time in the event.
Ledecky then returned with a blazing time of 4:31.38 in the 500-yard free. The swim broke her national high school record of 4:33.14 set last night, which bettered Kate Ziegler's overall mark of 4:33.35 from 2006. Her time this evening also shot her to third all time in the event behind only Katie Hoff's American record of 4:30.47 from the 2007 NBAC Christmas Invitational, and Dagny Knutson's 4:31.18 from the 2009 Short Course Nationals. Ledecky's time last night also stood as the 15-16 U.S. National Age Group record.
Amazingly, Ledecky would have demolished the NCAA field in the 500 free last year as Southern California's Haley Anderson won in 4:34.48. Ledecky is also already well ahead of the NCAA record of 4:32.71 set by Olympic teammate Allison Schmitt in 2011 while swimming for Georgia.
She earned some Olympic teammate love on Twitter for the swim as well with Matt McLean touting her 200 effort tonight.
@katieledecky that 200 was #boss. As @jonurb would say, #keepitmoving
— Matt McLean (@MattBMcLean6F) February 9, 2013
Additionally, Franklin also chimed in from Colorado after her Regis Jesuit team won the state championship.
@katieledecky So proud of you baby girl!! You did absolutely amazing!
— Missy Franklin (@FranklinMissy) February 10, 2013