Katie Ledecky shatters own world record in 1st pro event
INDIANAPOLIS — Katie Ledecky looked as dominant as ever in her pro debut.
She set another world record in the women’s 1,500-meter freestyle, shattering her previous mark by exactly five seconds and pulling away from everyone else in the IUPUI Natatorium pool. The six-time Olympic gold medalist finished in 15 minutes, 20.48 seconds, breaking her previous mark from August 2015 at the TYR Pro Series stop in Indianapolis. After winning the heat by more than 49 seconds, Ledecky had to wait another two hours to officially be crowned event champion as the remaining timed heats continued.
As usual, though, Ledecky left no doubt about where she stood and she’s only getting started.
“My goal for the end of the summer was to break 15:30. I know that’s not even my best, but I was 15:31 at last year’s worlds,” Ledecky said. “We kind of laid out a roadmap, knowing if it went one way or the other we could adjust, and I’m really going to have adjust that one (in the 1,500).”
For the Maryland native, it’s another chapter in a storied career that includes six world records and the eight fastest times ever recorded in the 1,500.
Overall, she has had 14 world-record swims and this one just happened to come in the first heat of the first event on the first night of her first pro event.
The meet runs through Saturday and Ledecky could compete in six more events this week, though she hasn’t decided whether she will actually attempt it.
But the record-breaking swim certainly has inspired her. “It sure feels good to get one of those under my belt, and it’s a feeling that never gets old,” Ledecky said. “Each one is unique and special. This is the first one since I’ve been at Stanford and it’s my first pro swim, so I’ll never forget it.”
What is clear to everyone else: Ledecky remains on top of her game more than two years away from another Olympics and with almost three months to prepare for the Pan Pacific Championships in Tokyo.
PHOENIX — First Milwaukee took three of four in Colorado. Now the Brewers have won two of three in Arizona.
A trip to what usual NL West trouble spots turned out nicely indeed for Milwaukee.
Travis Shaw, Domingo Santana, Christian Yelich and Tyler Saladino homered in the first four innings off Matt Koch, and the Brewers routed the Diamondbacks 8-2 in the series finale on Wednesday.
“We had four homers and I thought we had some near-misses, too,” Brewers manager Craig Counsell said, “so we swung the bats well. Getting a pitch to hit and a pitch to drive, a bunch of our hitters did a nice job today with that.”
Brandon Woodruff (20)