Ledecky, Adrian set pace in Indy
Mt. Lebanon native second in 800 free
INDIANAPOLIS — Olympic gold medalists Katie Ledecky and Nathan Adrian qualified for the American world championship team Tuesday night with each winning signature events at the U.S. National Championships.
Ledecky easily claimed the women’s 800-meter freestyle title in a time of 8:11.50. The defending Olympic and world champion won by 8.96 seconds against Leah Smith (8:20.46), a Mt. Lebanon native who attended Oakland Catholic High School.
Smith’s time was the second-fastest mark in the world this year.
Ledecky notched her 11th national title and fifth win in the 800 free.
Ledecky, 20, who is attending Stanford, took the lead in the first 50 meters and extended it by between 0.31 and 0.83 seconds on each ensuing lap through the first 600 meters. At one point, the Washington native was even swimming under her worldrecord pace.
“I didn’t rest too much for this [meet]. Compared to other trials and selection meets, this might be the least tapered that I’ve been over the past couple of years. I have confidence from training that I can get up and go times like that.”
Adrian reclaimed the men’s 100 free title in 47.96 seconds, beating Caeleb Dressel by 0.01. This win marks Adrian’s fourth time being named to the world championships roster.
Dressel also earned a spot on the world championships roster with his runner-up finish.
“We’re in a good place. For so long I had to answer all these … questions about what happened to American sprinting, and I don’t have to answer those questions anymore. I’m happy about that,” Adrian said.
Mallory Comerford defeated American recordholder Simone Manuel in the women’s 100 free. But it took the world’s third-fastest time of the year (52.81) to win.
“I was training hard and racing my own race. I just love to race, so to get out there and compete against this field was a blast,” Comerford said.
Hali Flickinger and Jack Conger claimed the 200 butterfly titles.
“It was just a really good feeling … With Michael [Phelps] gone that butterfly is completely wide open, and I wanted to stamp my ticket and make a statement,” Conger said.
Flickinger, of Spring Grove, Pa., won her second national title with a 2:07.60 finish. “I want to have that race, where I hit the wall and jaws drop.”
True Sweetser won the men’s 1,500 free. It is Sweetser’s first national title and first spot on the world championships team.
“I knew going into the final that a lot of guys get excited and like to go out fast, and I just wanted to make sure that I went out as controlled as I could and have a really strong back half.
Each winner makes the team. Second-place finishers are likely to be added when the selection process ends.