2019 FINA WORLD AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS
- All sports: Friday, July 12 – Sunday, July 28, 2019
- Pool swimming: Sunday, July 21 – Sunday, July 28, 2019
- The Nambu University Municipal Aquatics Center, Gwangju, Korea
- Meet site
- FinaTV Live Stream
- Live results
WOMEN’S 800 FREESTYLE
- World Record: 8:04.79, Katie Ledecky (USA), 2016
- World Championship Record: 8:07.39, Katie Ledecky (USA), 2015
- World Junior Record: 8:11.00, Katie Ledecky (USA), 2014
- Defending World Champion: Katie Ledecky (USA), 8:12.68
While the 200 free and 400 free are feeling less like they belong solely to Katie Ledecky (especially the former), the American still has a strong advantage over the world in the 800. She’s been 8:10.70 to lead the world rankings, and returns after claiming her third-straight World title in the event in 2017.
FINA Champions Swim Series – Budapest – photo by Rafael Domeyko
While it’s teenagers like Taylor Ruck and Ariarne Titmus who have risen to Ledecky’s level in shorter events, China’s Li Bingjie and Wang Jianjiahe have been the most threatening in the longer ones. Li touched less than two seconds back of Ledecky at the 2017 World Champs, while Wang this year is the most dangerous of the two.
This year at Chinese Nationals, Wang clocked an Asian Record time of 8:14.64. That came just three weeks after she torched the Asian Record in the 1500 free at a Pro Swim Series stop with a time of 15:46.69. She’s still over three seconds back of Ledecky’s world-leading time, which was done at a PSS stop in May, and Ledecky on-form will be well under 8:10. But, in Budapest in 2017, she was just 8:12.68 — another swim like that would leave her incredibly vulnerable to the ever-improving Wang.
Wang’s countrymate, Li, was well off at Chinese Nationals with an 8:27.96, leaving her just 16th in the world. But Li, with her PR of 8:15.46 from Budapest, was the Asian record-holder before Wang broke her mark, and Li is still the #4 performer of all-time and the third-best active swimming right now based on best times.
Having had more success in LCM in the 200 and 400 free, American Leah Smith had a breakthrough at the 800 distance this spring when she went 8:16.33 at a PSS stop. It was a lifetime best by almost a full second, out-doing her performances at the 2017 Worlds and the 2018 Pan Pacs, which alludes to even more of a drop to come at Worlds. Smith, last summer, was edged by Titmus in this event and settled for bronze — Titmus got to the wall in 8:17.07, just over a tenth quicker than Smith.
Hailing from the fast-rising swimming nation of Italy is Simona Quadarella, who last year won the distance triple crown at 2018 Euros by sweeping the 400, 800, and 1500 free. She took the win in 8:16.45 in the 800, putting her right in the mix in the crowd of 8 teens while setting the Italian Record.
Leah Smith (photo: Jack Spitser)
There are a few big names to watch for out of Europe right now, and leading the continent in 2019 are Germany’s Sarah Kohler and Hungary’s Ajna Kesely. Kohler, who set the German 1500 record at Euros last year where she took the silver, is better the longer the distance. But, her 8:23.83 ranks her favorably this season at #6, right behind Australia’s second entrant to Worlds in this event, Kiah Melverton (8:22.83). She’s also just ahead of Kesely, the rising teenager who was 8:24.25 at the Canet stop of the Mare Nostrum tour.
It’s hard to gauge what we’ll see from Hungary’s Boglarka Kapas and Spain’s Mireia Belmonte. The pair finished 5th and 4th, respectively, in this event at the last Worlds, but Kapas was only 5th last summer at Euros despite having a breakthrough in the 200 fly to win gold there in 2:07.13. Meanwhile, she hasn’t even cracked the top 25 in the world in the 800, having been just 8:49 at Hungarian Nationals (though she was 8:36 in June). Belmonte’s been 8:27.12, a solid time considering she took 4th in 2017 with an 8:23, but this event could feasibly see six or more women break 8:20.
TOP-8 PICKS
| PLACE | SWIMMER | COUNTRY | SEASON BEST | LIFETIME BEST |
| 1 | Katie Ledecky | USA | 8:10.70 | 8:04.79 |
| 2 | Wang Jianjiahe | China | 8:14.64 | 8:14.64 |
| 3 | Leah Smith | USA | 8:16.33 | 8:16.33 |
| 4 | Simona Quadarella | Italy | 8:21.20 | 8:16.45 |
| 5 | Ariarne Titmus | Australia | 8:18.23 | 8:17.07 |
| 6 | Li Bingjie | China | 8:27.96 | 8:15.46 |
| 7 | Sarah Kohler | Germany | 8:23.63 | 8:20.53 |
| 8 | Kiah Melverton | Australia | 8:22.83 | 8:22.83 |
Quadarella will be 2nd and Késely will be finalist.
Gold Wang Jianjiahe (new Asian record)
Silver Ledecky (a close second)
Bronze Smith
Crazy to think that Janet Evans’ 8:16.22 from 30 years ago this summer would still be on the edge of making the podium. Even crazier to think she did that even having never gone any faster than a 1:59 in the 200 free.
The European record is still Rebecca Adlington´s, with 8:14.10. Quadarella´s time is just the Italian record.
Crazy how today the only dude swimming a 50 that could beat Ledecky who’d swim an 800 would be Ben Proud…wow swimming has really come a long way!
This is the most confusing stat of the day.
1. Katie Ledecky 8:06.61
*This is hard after Ledecky because if Wang is on she gets the silver, but I’m not quite sure she’ll be on 100%. As of late she hasn’t been doing great comparing to the last few seasons this time of the year. She did go 8:14 earlier so it’s hard to call. I’ll go with:
2. Leah Smith 8:15.07 *She did great in Richmond (8:16) and I think she’ll have another drop
3. Ariarne Titmus 8:16.19 OC
4. Simona Quadarella 8:17.02
5. Wang Jianjiahe 8:19.65
6. Sarah Kohler 8:22.83
7. Kiah Melverton 8:22.87
8. Li Bingjie 8:25.00
The 16 years old Wang Jianjiahe is the closest swimmer to the 16 years old phenomenon of Katie Ledecky. The age when Katie has earned the title of the best female swimmer of World Championships in Barcelona in 2013 beating with that Missy Franklin at her peak year. But this fact escapes for some reason the attention of many people. I have a feeling that the name of Li Bingjie who was called two years ago a female Sun Yang is still better known to the wide public.
200: 1:56.32 vs 1:57.31
400: 3:59.82 vs 4:03.14
800: 8:13.86 vs 8:14.64
1500: 15:36.53 vs 15.46.69
Of course Katie Ledecky had at that time a rocket steep… Read more »
It’s not that surprising that she’s going under the radar because since she burst onto the scene there’s been no Worlds or Olympics. Maybe that will change next week.
I don’t understand these 8:06 predictions here for Ledecky. That makes no sense, given the burden of that time, and the specifics of this schedule. Ledecky will be tested mentally and physically the first 4 days. Her schedule is front loaded to such extreme that she’ll already know if she had a successful meet by Wednesday night. The 400 and 200 will be done, along with the 1500. Then it’s nothing but contemplation and relays for a few days until the 800. That scenario does not align with a fast time in the 800. She should win unless Wang has some type of ridiculous breakthrough. But it’s more likely to be a worn out you’ve-got-to-be-kidding-me type of performance, not something… Read more »
Oh, no Wang for second? Me too 😉
I don’t see Ledecky touching her Rio time, but I think it will be much quicker than Budapest…
1. Ledecky 8:06.50
2. Smith 8:14.95
3. Wang 8:15.64
“Defending World Champion: Katie Ledecky (USA), 21.15” damn that win from last worlds just might be the most impressive performance of all time