World Cup Indy: Katie Ledecky Takes WR in 800 Freestyle; Dylan Carter Completes Sprint Tear
Following action in Berlin and Toronto, the 2022 edition of the FINA World Cup comes to a conclusion on Saturday night in Indianapolis, where Night Three action will include a world-record chase from Katie Ledecky in the 800-meter freestyle. The evening will also include additional performances from American teenager Bella Sims, who set a pair of world junior records (200 freestyle/100 backstroke) on Night Two.
The end of the World Cup does not mean short-course meters action is wrapping up for the year. Next month, the FINA World Short Course Championships will be held in Melbourne. Olympic champion Kyle Chalmers will headline the host nation’s roster for the meet Down Under.
Here is an event-by-event look at what transpired on the last night of competition in Indy.
Men’s 400 Individual Medley
Building a comfortable lead on the opening butterfly leg, South African Matthew Sates never relinquished his advantage and registered a dominant victory in the 400 medley. Sates posted a time of 4:04.12, an effort that capped a sweep of the longer IM. Sates previously won the event at the Berlin and Toronto stops. Canadian Finlay Knox was the second-place finisher, with his time of 4:07.09 coming from the afternoon heats in the timed-finals event.
Women’s 800 Freestyle
As expected, Katie Ledecky broke the world record in the 800 freestyle, going 7:57.42. The American star surged to the lead from the start and was under world-record pace for the entire race to break the old mark of 7:59.34, set in 2013 by Mireia Belmonte. It was the second world record in as many weeks for Ledecky, who set the 1500 free record last week in Toronto.
Women’s 100 Butterfly
Sweden’s Louise Hansson, who stormed to the top seed in the morning, backed up that effort in the final, winning in 55.45. Hansson’s time was more than a second quicker than the 56.48 of France’s Beryl Gastaldello for second place. Third went to American teen Alex Shackell, who clocked 56.63.
Men’s 50 Butterfly
Dylan Carter put the finishing touches on a spectacular stretch of sprinting when he won the 50 butterfly to complete a sweep of that event in World Cup action. Carter produced a time of 21.99, which handed him an easy decision over Chad Le Clos (22.27). Carter’s sweep of the 50 fly complemented previous sprint sweeps in the 50 freestyle and 50 backstroke, giving the Trinidad & Tobago native a 9-for-9 run in the World Cup.
Women’s 200 Backstroke
Beata Nelson led a 1-2-3 finish by the United States and wrapped up a sweep of the 200 backstroke in World Cup competition. Nelson was under world-record pace through 150 meters, and finished in 2:00.43. Nelson paced American teens and Sandpipers teammates Bella Sims (2:01.64) and Katie Grimes (2:02.34) into the wall.
Men’s 100 Backstroke
Trailing Poland’s Kacper Stokowski by a slim .03 heading into the final 25 meters, Shaine Casas dug down and pulled ahead to pick up the win in 49.40, with Stokowski going 49.63 for second place. Casas’ victory completed his World Cup sweep of the event, his second 3-for-3 of the series. Third place was taken by Ryan Murphy in 49.67.
Women’s 50 Breaststroke
Lithuania’s Ruta Meilutyte captured her third straight win in the event in style, as she delivered the third-fastest time in history. Meilutyte led from the start and touched the wall in 28.70, a mark that has only been bettered by Jamaican Alia Atkinson (28.56 and 28.64). The United States’ Lilly King was the runnerup, checking in at 29.16.
Men’s 200 Breaststroke
After scraping into the final in the eighth spot, American Nic Fink used the outside-smoke approach to sweep the 200 breaststroke races during the World Cup. This time around, Fink won the event in 2:02.70, which was more than two seconds clear of the 2:04.74 by Reece Whitley. In the World Cup, Fink was perfect, as he also swept the 50 breaststroke and 100 breaststroke.
Women’s 100 Freestyle
On the heels of a victory in the 200 freestyle, Hong Kong’s Siobhan Haughey was too much for the opposition at half the distance. She won her third consecutive 100 freestyle during the World Cup, her latest effort a 51.00. Haughey finished more than a half-second up on Australian Madison Wilson (51.54) and the United States Abbey Weitzeil (51.63).
Men’s 200 Freestyle
Only .19 separated the top-four swimmers, but it was the United States’ Kieran Smith who grabbed the victory in 1:41.78. Smith took the lead off the start and fended off charges by Danas Rapsys, Drew Kibler and Kyle Chalmers down the stretch. Rapsys took second in 1:41.89, with Kibler next at 1:41.93. Chalmers touched in 1:41.97.
Women’s 200 Individual Medley
Short-course standout Beata Nelson earned her second first-place finish of the session, and complete her series sweep of the 200 IM. Nelson managed a time of 2:04.92 to defeat Canadian Sydney Pickrem (2:05.87). Earlier in the session, Nelson won the 200 backstroke to sweep that event in the circuit. The victory also clinched the overall World Cup title for Nelson.