On Heels Of Newest World Record, Katie Ledecky Ready to Break Another
As Katie Ledecky walked out to the blocks for the 1500-meter freestyle at last week’s FINA World Cup stop in Toronto, her pursuit of the short-course world record in the event was a formality. And a little more than 15 minutes after Ledecky hit the water, she indeed had the first short-course standard of her career, in her maiden attempt at the event.
This weekend, Ledecky will find herself in a similar scenario when the World Cup circuit moves to Indianapolis. This time around, Ledecky will chase the short-course world record in the 800 freestyle, an event she has never contested before in the small pool. The world record stands at 7:59.34, set by Spain’s Mireia Belmonte in 2013.
Although the distance legend has never officially raced the 800 freestyle in the short-course meters format, she owns the American record. How? Well, en route to her world record in the 1500 freestyle, Ledecky split 8:00.58 at the 800-meter mark, an effort that sliced seven seconds off the previous mark of fellow American Leah Smith.
Based on her effort in the 1500 freestyle, where she beat the previous world record of Sarah Wellbrock (nee Kohler) by nearly 10 seconds, Ledecky could take the 800 freestyle record to the mid-7:50s. Her chase will take place on Saturday at the Indiana University Natatorium, which has seen its share of global standards through the years.
Another is almost surely on the way.
Katie isn’t just swimming great (still!), but is also having a wondrous, mid-career, beautiful coming-out of persona. Great to see her now as an ambassadress as well as an athletic champion!
It’s phenomenal that Katie is still doing this at 25 years old! Brava!