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Katie Ledecky’s Olympic trials streak continues with 1,500 win

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5 months ago

June 20, 2024

Katie Ledecky reacts after winning the 200-meter freestyle final June 17, 2024, during the U.S. Olympic Team Swimming Trials at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

INDIANAPOLIS — Katie Ledecky’s Olympic trials proceed to go precisely as she, and everybody else, thought they’d.

Ledecky, the best feminine swimmer in historical past, gained her third consecutive occasion Wednesday evening, the longest race within the pool, the 1,500 freestyle in 15:37.35. She would be the robust gold medal favourite within the race at this summer season’s Paris Olympic Video games. Katie Grimes was second, ending 20 seconds behind Ledecky.

“I used to be fairly excited coming into tonight,” Ledecky mentioned on NBC Sports activities after profitable her race. “I’d have liked to have been a little bit sooner, however I’ll take it. I’ll be higher in a couple of weeks.”

Ledecky, 27, is undefeated within the 1,500 in her skilled profession, having gained 5 world titles and the first-ever Olympic gold medal within the occasion on the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. She after all additionally holds the world report in a race that was made for her to dominate, requiring the energy, stamina and self-discipline to swim backwards and forwards, backwards and forwards, 30 instances within the 50-meter pool.

“I’m actually proud of how the meet’s going,” Ledecky, a seven-time Olympic gold medalist, mentioned after Tuesday’s 1,500 heats. “Simply taking it daily and placing my finest foot ahead. I’m actually happy with how I’m feeling within the water and the way every day has gone.”

She has one occasion left on the U.S. Olympic trials, the 800 freestyle Saturday.

On the Olympic Video games, Ledecky will probably be favored to win gold in each the 800 and 1,500 and maybe bronze within the 400.

Whereas she hasn’t but formally withdrawn from the person 200 freestyle, which she gained right here earlier within the week, she mentioned that’s her plan for Paris. She’s going to, nonetheless, swim the 4 x 200 relay, one other occasion during which she thrives.

In Tokyo three years in the past, swimming the anchor leg, Ledecky swam the quickest relay break up of all of the swimmers within the race to drag the Individuals up from third to second, passing the Australians and almost catching the gold-medal-winning Chinese language.