Ledecky wins 800m at US trials
CHICAGO: Five-time Olympic champion Katie Ledecky won the 800-metre freestyle Tuesday at the US Swim Championships with this year’s fastest time in the world only 25 minutes after another final.
World record-holder and reigning world and Olympic champion Ledecky, who placed sixth in the 100 free, took the 800 crown in 8mins 11.50secs with Leah Smith, sixth at Rio, taking second, 8.96 seconds back.
Ledecky could swim in four individual events and two relays at next month’s World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, with a strong showing at this fiveday meet in Indianapolis, Indiana.
“It’s important to get the job done here and get to Budapest and do a lot,” Ledecky said. “So far I’m setting myself up well but it’s just the first day.”
While it was a 2017 world best, the winning time was only the ninth-best for Ledecky, who captured 200, 400 and 800 free Olympic gold last year in Rio – defending the 800 crown she won in London – and helped the US women’s 4x200 relay win as well.
Ledecky won the world 400, 800 and 1,500 freestyle titles and shared in a 4x200 free relay win in 2013 in Barcelona then defended those crowns and adding the 200 world title in 2015 at Russia.
Mallory Comerford, who matched Ledecky for the 200-yard free US college crown, won the women’s 100 free in 52.81 seconds, shaving 1.1 seconds off her premeet personal best.
Rio Olympic co- champion Simone Manuel was second in 53.05. Ledecky was sixth in 54.35, matching her seed position. That, combined with the second-best US split time on the Rio 4x100 free relay, should make her a contender to swim the same relay at Budapest.