Olympic and World Champion distance swimming icon Katie Ledecky swam well at the San Antonio Pro Swim, but she was her own biggest critic unpacking her swims in the post race interviews. I thought Ledecky looked great considering she hasn’t really traveled and competed in a year. Suiting up at home and running an elite meet schedule isn’t the same experience. I think Ledecky knocked off some rust in San Antonio. What do you think? If you missed the meet coverage, see her times:
Ledecky – 2021 San Antonio Pro Swim
- 1500 free – 15:42.92
- 800 free – 8:13.64
- 400 free – 4:04.72
- 200 free – 1:56.62
For reference, see Ledecky’s 2020 Des Moines Pro Swim Times:
- 1500 – 15:29.51
- 400 – 3:59.66
- 200 – 1:54.59
U.S. Olympic Trials Predictions?
Ledecky will swim fast, but not as fast as she will at the 2021 Olympic Games. At U.S. Olympic Trials I see a 1:54.5 200 free, 3:59.1 400 free, 8:09 800 free, and a 15:29 1500 free. I might be playing it a little too safe, but I don’t see a reason for her to swim faster when making Team USA is all that’s needed. Still, those would be solid swims in June for Ledecky, but the big question is will she swim the 100 free? I don’t know. I haven’t asked her, but I don’t think so. It’s been a weird year battling the pandemic. I think Ledeckey stays focused on her core schedule at U.S. Olympic Trials. But who cares what I think? I want to know what you think? Give me your best expert swimming analysis.
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This is a Gold Medal Media production presented by SwimOutlet.com. Host Gold Medal Mel Stewart is a 3-time Olympic medalist and the co-founder of SwimSwam.com, a Swimming News website.
need to update this after Viejo, where she swam 1.54.4
She will just be doing enough to win!
there will be no Olympics in 2021
You’re entitled to your opinion, but your opinion isn’t really that interesting to anybody else if you don’t support it.
I think she stands a good chance in the hundred but might not swim it anyways and possibly get a spot on the relay anyway
Any chance she will go after Phelps 8 golds? If she swam the 200-400-800-1500 and both freestyle relays, she would still need 2 more events. However, she could add the 5k and 10k open water events and collect 8 golds conceivably.
There is no 5k Olympic event, and she is too late to qualify for the 10k.
I don’t much like Ledecky’s chances in the 4×100 with how much more depth there is in that event compared to Rio.
200 1.54 high
400 barely under 4
800 810 and change
1500 1532
The 200 and 400 free predictions sound reasonable. Not sure about the 800 free prediction. Ledecky has “only” been sub 8:10 five times (according to FINA) and “only” 2 times since the last olympics (both in 2018). I don’t think she will reach the same shape in the 800 as in 2016 (when she swam 8:10 at trials), so my guess would be 8:12. The 1500 free is the most difficult to predict in my opinion. Obviously she swam 15:29 recently, so it isn’t “crazy” to predict her going 15:29 at trials, but maybe she will focus more on her speed (to make sure to qualify in the 200 free) and therefore her 1500 free will suffer a bit (since… Read more »