Aussies can see end for queen Ledecky
WHILE Katie Ledecky’s domination of women’s longdistance swimming shows no sign of coming to an end, the two boom Aussies trying to reel her in are now convinced it will eventually happen.
Australia won another medal at the world swimming championships in Budapest overnight with rising longdistance star Lani Pallister collecting bronze in the women’s 1500m freestyle.
Inspired by racing against Ledecky for the second time this week, Pallister smashed her personal best time to finish third and get on the podium after she missed a medal in the 400m final by just 0.08sec on the weekend.
“I don’t love the 1500m. It’s definitely not my favourite event, but it’s something that I’m good at,” Pallister said.
“It’s an event that I could do something really special in the future.”
While Ariarne Titmus has Ledecky’s measure over the 400m, the American has never been beaten over 1500m and now holds the 13 fastest times in history.
Pallister finished more than 18 seconds behind her but said it was conceivable that someone would eventually catch Ledecky.
“There’s a lot of different athletes really pushing and Katie is the reason that we’re all swimming so well,” Pallister said.
“But I think everyone is beatable. Everyone is human and we’re not robots. Athletes definitely have off days and that sort of thing but there’s nothing but testament to Katie, she’s an incredible athlete, incredible person.
“I don’t think anyone’s catching Katie for a while.”
Pallister’s Gold Coast training partner Moesha Johnson also posted a lifetime best to finish fourth in the final to show she’s up there with the very best after just missing out on the team for last year’s Tokyo Olympics.
And like her teammate, she remains in awe of what Ledecky has achieved in the sport but also thinks that her reign will inevitably come to an end one day.
“Obviously Katie, she’s still out there winning, but she’s set some times before that she’s not quite (reaching now),” Johnson said.
“So if we can all just keep chasing each other and keep pushing each other and just keep chasing that record that she set a while ago, maybe one day we’ll beat her. Whether it’s now or whether it’s in a couple of years time, 10 years’ time, I think there’s gonna be someone out there who can do it.”
Pallister will again line up against Ledecky in the 800m while the versatile Johnson is turning her attention to next week’s open water competition.
The women’s 1500m is not on the program for next month’s Commonwealth Games but has been added to the schedule for the 2024 Olympics so both Australians are setting their sights on Paris after their strong showing in Hungary.
“We’ve got such a strong history in the men’s 1500m so for both of us, we have to work towards that as an Olympic event,” Johnson said.