Sunday, October 30, 2022
Ledecky Shatters 1500 Freestyle (SCM) World Record By 10 Seconds
Just one day after going 3:52.88 in the 400-meter freestyle to set a new short-course meter American record, Katie Ledecky posted another record-breaking performance ― this time in world-record fashion in the 1500m freestyle, going 15:08.24.
The swim, which was also Ledecky's short-course meter debut in the 1500m freestyle, was more than 10 seconds ahead of the previous record, which was set by Germany's Sarah Wellbrock (15:18.01) in 2019.
"I knew that record was within reach just based on some things that I've done in training," Ledecky said in a post-race interview with FINA. "My distance stuff has felt really good this fall. I felt locked into a pace. I fell off a little bit towards the end, probably. My stroke count was 16, pretty steady through maybe the 900 or 1000, and then it jumped up to 17 and then 18, and I got a little worried but I held it together enough to get the job done."
Not only was the performance 10 seconds faster than the previous world record, it was nearly 25 seconds faster than the previous American record, which was held by Kate Ziegler's 2007 performance of 15:32.90.
She now holds current world records in the 800 and 1500m freestyle (long course meter) and the 1500m freestyle (short course meter). She is one of only four swimmers to have at least three current world records in individual events across long-course and short-course meter swimming, joining Spain's Mireia Belmonte (800 SCM freestyle, 200 SCM butterfly, 400 SCM individual medley), Hungary's Katinka Hosszú (200 and 400 LCM individual medley, 100 and 200 SCM individual medley) and Sweden's Sarah Sjöström (50 and 100 LCM freestyle, 50 and 100 LCM butterfly).
The swim also comes on the heels of Ledecky's nomination for the AAU James E. Sullivan Award, which is given to the nation's best amateur athlete. Fans can vote for Ledecky here.
The swim, which was also Ledecky's short-course meter debut in the 1500m freestyle, was more than 10 seconds ahead of the previous record, which was set by Germany's Sarah Wellbrock (15:18.01) in 2019.
"I knew that record was within reach just based on some things that I've done in training," Ledecky said in a post-race interview with FINA. "My distance stuff has felt really good this fall. I felt locked into a pace. I fell off a little bit towards the end, probably. My stroke count was 16, pretty steady through maybe the 900 or 1000, and then it jumped up to 17 and then 18, and I got a little worried but I held it together enough to get the job done."
Not only was the performance 10 seconds faster than the previous world record, it was nearly 25 seconds faster than the previous American record, which was held by Kate Ziegler's 2007 performance of 15:32.90.
She now holds current world records in the 800 and 1500m freestyle (long course meter) and the 1500m freestyle (short course meter). She is one of only four swimmers to have at least three current world records in individual events across long-course and short-course meter swimming, joining Spain's Mireia Belmonte (800 SCM freestyle, 200 SCM butterfly, 400 SCM individual medley), Hungary's Katinka Hosszú (200 and 400 LCM individual medley, 100 and 200 SCM individual medley) and Sweden's Sarah Sjöström (50 and 100 LCM freestyle, 50 and 100 LCM butterfly).
The swim also comes on the heels of Ledecky's nomination for the AAU James E. Sullivan Award, which is given to the nation's best amateur athlete. Fans can vote for Ledecky here.