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It hasn’t happened since the 2016 Olympics. Katie Ledecky hadn’t broken a World Record since 2016 when she lit the world on fire in Rio with three individual gold medals and two world records. She has not been the same swimmer since she went to Stanford in the fall of 2016.
But in her first race as a professional swimmer, Ledecky broke the 1500 freestyle World Record that she set at the 2015 World Championships in Kazan with a 15:20.48 on a quiet Wednesday night at the TYR Indianapolis Pro Swim Series.
Ledecky took control early and was out under world record pace. How long could she hold on to that pace in an in-season meet? She built her way through the race and kept getting further and further under the record pace.
Ledecky broke her own world record that she set three years ago and is the sixth time she has broken the record in the event dating all the way back to 2013. It is also the largest margin the record has been broken since Ledecky took six seconds off at the 2014 Pan Pacific Championships.
World Record Progression:
- 15:20.48, Katie Ledecky, USA, 2018
- 15:25.48, Ledecky, USA, August 2015
- 15:27.71 (h), Ledecky, USA, August 2015
- 15:28.36, Ledecky, USA, August 2014
- 15:34.23, Ledecky, USA, June 2014
- 15:36.54, Ledecky, USA, 2013
- 15:42.54, Kate Ziegler, USA, 2007
Ledecky also now owns the eight fastest times ever in the event. She is now 28 seconds ahead of the second fastest performer ever, Lotte Friis of Denmark (15:38.88).
Top 10 Performances:
- Katie Ledecky, 15:20.48, USA, 2018
- Ledecky, 15:25.48, USA, 2015
- Ledecky, 15:27.71, USA, 2015
- Ledecky, 15:28.36, USA, 2014
- Ledecky, 15:31.82, USA, 2017
- Ledecky, 15:34.23, USA, 2014
- Ledecky, 15:35.65, USA, 2017
- Ledecky, 15:36.53, USA, 2013
- Lotte Friis, 15:38.88, DEN, 2013
- Lauren Boyle, 15:40.14, NZL, 2013
Top 10 Performers:
- Katie Ledecky, 15:20.48, USA, 2018
- Lotte Friis, 15:38.88, DEN, 2013
- Lauren Boyle, 15:40.14, NZL, 2013
- Kate Ziegler, 15:42.54, USA, 2007
- Alessia Filippi, 15:44.93, ITA, 2009
- Boglarka Kapas, 15:47.09, HUN, 2015
- Jazz Carlin, 15:47.26, GBR, 2013
- Mireia Belmonte, 15:50.89, ESP, 2017
- Janet Evans, 15:52.10, USA, 1988
- Jessica Ashwood, 15:52.17, AUS, 2015
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What was the old record?
18 seconds
Whoops. Thanks for pointing that out! It’s been fixed.
Has not
5 seconds faster? Holy crap
Yet another amazing swim by the incredible Katie Ledecky!!!!
#amazing
She is amazing swimmer
Katie you bad girl. Keep on stroking you a beautiful to watch.
Where are ALL the TROLLS now…the ones who said she was DONE.. SHATTERING WORLD RECORDS………….yes that’s what we thought…..Congrats Katie….on turning PRO..lol
She is amazing!
Wow – just wow
Susan Garcia
“Not been the same swimmer since she went to Stanford.” Yeah right…she’s better!!! (Not to mention the 11 American Records and 15 NCAA records, 8 NCAA titles, and two team championships in two years of college swimming).
First women to go under 15 minutes?
Her last 100m was under a minute. .
Katie is simply amazing
God Bless her!
Aiden Smith
Murron Roff
She is my inspiration to get back into swimming and relive my glory days from HS
Taylor Leer
Her last 400 was 4:04.32!!! Wow!!!