2022 World Championships: Ledecky Comments on Gold “I’m really happy with that.”

2022 FINA WORLD AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS

• June 18-25, 2022 (pool swimming)
• Budapest, Hungary
• Duna Arena
• LCM (50-meter format)
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After night 1 of the 2022 World Championships in Budapest, the United States stands atop the medal table. The US won two gold (including one in a relay), one silver, and three bronze medals (including one in a relay) tonight.

To kick off the night, Kieran Smith and Trey Freeman both competed in their first final at a World Championship in their careers. They both finished seventh and eighth respectively. It also was Freeman’s second-fastest time ever as he went a 3:46.53 tonight just off of his best time of 3:46.12.

In the women’s 400 freestyle both US competitors, Katie Ledecky (gold) and Leah Smith (bronze) finished on the podium. Smith spoke to USA Swimming on how it feels to be on the podium once again with Ledecky saying “It means a lot. I think that’s my third podium at Worlds with Katie in the 400. It doesn’t get old, such an honor and I am really excited that we were able to get two Americans on the podium in the first night and I am really looking forward to the rest of the meet.” Smith was indeed correct saying it was her third podium at Worlds with Ledecky because this was the third Worlds in a row where both swimmers have been on the podium in the 400 freestyle.

Smith’s medal also was her seventh medal at a World Championship. Smith is close to winning her eighth medal which would make her the 11th American woman to ever win eight or more medals at Worlds. Smith is also entered in the individual 200 and 800 freestyles later in the meet.

Gold medalist Ledecky spoke to USA Swimming on her win saying, “It feels good. It’s the fastest I’ve ever been at Worlds so I’m really happy with that. I am really excited about the rest of the week I have ahead of me.” This was a key swim for Ledecky as her world record in the event was broken less than a month ago by Australia’s Ariarne Titmus.

This also was a key swim for Ledecky as this is her first major international championship at her new training location Florida. Ledecky moved from Stanford to Florida last September. Ledecky spoke to USA Swimming on her new training location saying “It’s been a lot of fun. It’s just been refreshing and fun to have new teammates and new coaches and a different perspective. We kind of just set out this year with a goal of making Worlds in the events that I am swimming. Really not setting any time goals, so I’m just trying to improve each meet. So far, I’ve done that so that’s pretty good.”

Ledecky’s win gives her 12th individual gold medal at a World Championships, sitting at #2 all-time only behind Michael Phelps (15). Ledecky also earned a championship record with her win.

Americans Carson Foster and Chase Kalisz finished for silver and bronze in the final of the men’s 400 IM. Both were very big swims for each of them. This also was the first time since 2011 that both Americans finished on the podium in the event.

This was the first Worlds podium for Foster and he described his feelings to USA Swimming saying, “It’s incredible. I feel like I have kind of been chasing that for a while, so to be finally able to do it feels really good.” 

 Kalisz also had a big swim as this swim was over three seconds faster than he was almost a year ago at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Tonight’s bronze also makes him the American who has won the most medals in the 400 IM at Worlds. Kalisz spoke to USA Swimming about his bronze medal finish saying, “It’s probably better than what I thought it was going to be, but it’s the fastest I’ve been in a long time. I am incredibly proud of Carson. It’s cool to see Leon go such a fast time and get so close to that notorious record. I got to train with Leon a little bit at altitude and he is such a hard worker and no one is more deserving. That was a fun race to be a part of.” Notably, France’s Leon Marchand captured gold tonight in a championship record setting time of 4:04.28.

The US won the men’s 4×100 freestyle relay in a time of 3:09.34. The US swapped out Hunter Armstrong for Caeleb Dressel from prelims to finals, but Armstrong will still be awarded the gold medal. This was the third consecutive world title in the event won by the Americans.

All four of the US men had some of the fastest splits in the field. With the fastest split of the relay Ryan Held spoke to USA Swimming of the talent of the team saying, “I mean, it’s incredible the talent [on this team]. Like 10 guys could have stepped up on this relay and won. So, to have everyone go like sub :48 – nearly mid :47 – is awesome. It’s incredible.” 

Held, had one of four sub-47 relay splits as he went a 46.99, also spoke to USA Swimming on winning gold saying it is, “Always a pleasure. It’s always a good opportunity and exciting to step up with the three closest guys and win one for the United States.”

The US women’s 4×100 freestyle relay closed out the night strong picking up a bronze medal in the process. Prelims swimmers Mallory Comerford and Natalie Hinds will earn medals as well. This was Comerford’s ninth Worlds medal and Hinds’s first. Torri Huske had a big lead off split for the US tonight with a 52.96 making her only the fourth US woman under the 53 second mark ever.

After swimming the sixth-fastest split in the final Claire Curzan spoke to USA Swimming on winning a medal saying, “It feels great. It’s a super exciting relay to be a part of and it’s great to just knock the first one out and get a medal with it.” Curzan has the potential to be on many relays for the US after qualifying for Worlds individually in the 50 and 100 butterflys as well as the 100 freestyle and 100 backstroke.