Editorial content for the 2023 World Aquatics Championships is sponsored by FINIS, a longtime partner of Swimming World and leading innovator of suits, goggles and equipment. Katie Grimes Skips 5K at World Championships, Focused on Pool Program Three days after becoming the first American in any sport to secure her spot at the Paris Olympics, Katie Grimes chose withdraw from the next race on her original World Championships schedule. Grimes earned bronze in the 10-kilometer open water race, edging out open water veterans Sharon van Rouwendaal and Ana Marcela Cunha in a photo finish. That made Grimes one of just three athletes to earn an automatic qualifying spot for the Olympics. Grimes was originally scheduled to swim the 5K for the United States alongside Mariah Denigan, but she withdrew from the race to concentrate on her two pool swims coming up next week in Fukuoka. The 5K is not an Olympic event, and no qualification was at stake. She may compete in the 6K mixed team event Thursday, but the lineups for that event have not been revealed. In the pool, however, Grimes will be a strong contender for medals in both her events. In the 1500 freestyle, she was the silver medalist at last year’s World Championships behind Katie Ledecky, and she will be among the athletes contending to match that result again this year. Grimes currently ranks fourth in the world in the 1500 free at 15:56.27, although she swam just off that time in her second-place finish at U.S. Nationals. Grimes is also a medal contender in the 400 IM, where she placed second to Summer McIntosh at last year’s World Championships. After swimming a time of 4:31.81 in May, Grimes could challenge Katie Hoff’s American record of 4:31.12 that has lasted 15 years. On her medal-winning finish and Olympic qualification in the 10K, Grimes said, “This was my first time getting on the podium (in open water), and it was really trying to do better and better each race that I had, and I knew this was going to be where I really needed to get it done. I’m a step closer to my goals. This is really, really big for me, and I’m very honored to possibly represent the USA in Paris.” Germany’s Leonie Beck was the world champion in the 5K, finishing just ahead of van Rouwendaal and Cunha. In addition to Grimes, 10K silver medalist Chelsea Gubecka of Australia also skipped the 5K. The pool portion of the World Championships begins Sunday, with preliminary heats of the 1500 scheduled for day two.
