2022 FINA WORLD CUP – INDIANAPOLIS
- Thursday, November 3 – Saturday, November 5, 2022
- Indiana University Natatorium, Indianapolis, IN
- SCM (25 meters)
- Meet Central
- Psych Sheet
- Live Results (Omega)
- Live Stream
WOMEN’S 800 FREESTYLE – FASTEST HEAT
World Record: 7:59.34, Mireia Belmonte Garcia (ESP), 2013- World Jr Record: 7:59.44, Wang Jianjiahe (CHN), 2018
World Cup Record: 7:59.34, Mireia Belmonte Garcia (ESP), 2013US Open Record: 8:04.77, Lotte Friis (DEN), 2011
PODIUM:
- Katie Ledecky (CLB) – 7:57.42 WR
- Summer McIntosh (CAN) – 8:07.12
- Leah Smith (USA) – 8:12.01
Katie Ledecky grabbed her second World Record in the past week tonight in Indianapolis, closing out her 2022 World Cup racing with a 7:57.42 in the women’s 800 free. Though she didn’t blow the former World Record out of the water in the same manner she did with the 1500 last week in Toronto, the distance superstar still took down the previous mark of 7:59.34 by nearly two full seconds.
The previous record was held by Spain’s Mireia Belmonte, who established the mark back in 2013, at a World Cup stop in Berlin.
Here is a split comparison between Ledecky’s swim tonight and Belmonte’s World Record swim in 2013:
| Splits | Katie Ledecky – 2022 World Cup, Indianapolis | Mireia Belmonte – 2013 World Cup, Berlin |
| 50m | 27.54 | 28.28 |
| 100m | 29.55 (57.09) | 30.34 (58.62) |
| 150m | 29.72 (1:26.81) | 30.44 (1:29.06) |
| 200m | 29.82 (1:56.63) | 30.32 (1:59.38) |
| 250m | 29.87 (2:26.50) | 30.20 (2:29.58) |
| 300m | 30.05 (2:56.55) | 30.16 (2:59.74) |
| 350m | 29.86 (3:26.41) | 30.05 (3:29.79) |
| 400m | 30.23 (3:56.64) | 30.01 (3:59.80) |
| 450m | 30.13 (4:26.77) | 29.65 (4:29.45) |
| 500m | 30.28 (4:57.05) | 29.94 (4:59.39) |
| 550m | 30.15 (5:27.20) | 29.86 (5:29.25) |
| 600m | 30.26 (5:57.46) | 30.13 (5:59.38) |
| 650m | 30.10 (6:27.56) | 29.95 (6:29.33) |
| 700m | 30.33 (6:57.89) | 30.05 (6:59.38) |
| 750m | 30.41 (7:28.30) | 30.45 (7:29.83) |
| 800m | 29.12 (7:57.42) | 29.51 (7:59.34) |
| FINAL TIME | 7:57.42 | 7:59.34 |
As the splits show, Ledecky and Belmonte swam their races rather differently. Ledecky was out faster than Belmonte, flipping at the 200m in 1:56.63, much faster than Belmonte’s split of 1:59.38. Staying with that 1:56.63 split on the initial 200 for Ledecky, we should acknowledge just how fast that is. Ledecky came in second in the 200 free final last night, where she swam a 1:52.10. That being said, Ledecky took her 800 out just 4.53 seconds slower than she swam her individual 200 free, bearing in mind that her 800 split was to the feet, versus the individual 200, which was to the touch.
Ledecky kept the brisk pace up tonight, turning at the 400m in 3:56.64, again well under Belmonte’s split of 3:59.80. However, Belmonte ws actually faster on the back half of her race than Ledecky was. After the 3:56.64 on the first 400, Ledecky swam a 4:00.78 on the second 400. Meanwhile, back in 2013, Belmonte negative split her race, coming home in 3:59.54 on the second 400m after going out in 3:59.80.
Also of note, Ledecky now holds the World Records in the LCM 800 free LCM 1500 free, SCM 800 free, and SCM 1500 free simultaneously. This marks the first time in her career which Ledecky holds all four records at the same time. While they don’t necessarily hold the same weight as meters records, it’s worth noting that Ledecky is also the fastest yards swimmer of all-time in the 1000 free and 1650 free.
I’m so happy for Katie – it seems like she’s having fun again swimming, and obviously swimming very well. I hope her body holds up (and have no reason to think it won’t, since I am not aware that he has any serious shoulder or back issues) and she keeps having fun through the next Olympics. I think she can get back close to her long course World Record times – which given her recent short course results, is an obvious prediction. Is a new long course World Record possible? Yes, but even if she doesn’t pull that off, she’s the best female distance swimmer since Janet Evans – and probably the best ever.
Here’s a few facts that you may or may not have known already.
-Katie has just joined an elite group of swimmers to hold records in all 3 courses of swimming. And she has this in 2 events. Has anyone else done that?
-Next she has done something not even Phelps could do in his career. Go undefeated in a race for a straight decade! She’s has never lost the 800 on the world stage since her breakout in 2012. That is something that almost never happens and it’s incredible to see when it does. Because this is something very few athletes could ever achieve.
-Also not 100% sure about this one but unless Sarah wellbrock was older,… Read more »
Katie Ledecky needs two (2) individual gold medals at the 2023 FINA World Aquatics Championships to pass Michael Phelps for the most individual gold medals (male or female) at the FINA World Aquatics Championships.
FINA World Aquatics Championships
Individual Gold Medals
Phelps – 15
Ledecky – 14
Ian Crocker 100 fly
It’s amazing that in 2017 people were saying she was washed because she wasn’t setting WRs every time she swam.
She still seems pretty good if you ask me.
Huh?
Katie Ledecky was named female swimmer of the meet at the 2022 FINA World Aquatics Championships posting faster times in the W 400 FR, W 800 FR, W 1500 FR than at the 2017 FINA World Aquatics Championships.
2022 vs 2017
3:58.15 vs 3:58.34
8:08.04 vs 8:12.68
15:30.15 vs 15:31.82
In addition, a faster relay split in the women’s 4 x 200 meter freestyle relay:
2022 vs 2017
1:53.67 vs 1:54.02
They were complimenting Ledecky and you’re here triggered like they were insulting her.
Katie Ledecky was the only multiple gold medalist (individual events) from the female contingent of USA Swimming at the 2022 FINA World Aquatics Championships.
It’s high time someone else from the female contingent pick up the slack for USA Swimming.
She’s still queen of the 800.
Has anyone beaten her in the 800 since 2012?
I don’t think so and it has come close a few times like last year Olympics and world champs in 2019 and that was a great race and right now I think it’s likely she gonna go unbeaten in 800 and 1500 until she’s retired.
Katie Ledecky is still unbeaten in the final of the women’s 800 meter freestyle and women’s 1500 meter freestyle at major international competitions:
Pan Pacific Swimming Championships
Summer Olympic Games
World Aquatics Championships
This doesn’t really count, but technically Leah Smith beat her in prelims in 2019 when she was sick (and presumably saving up for finals). Aside from that, I don’t think she’s ever not been top seed since she won in 2012
Yeah that 2019 world champs battle proves that she can battle for the win.
Prelims don’t count
She’s actually unbeaten since july 2010 when lost in both the 800 and 1500 against Kaitlin Pawlowicz in the Potomac Valley Swimming Senior Championships. She was 13yo and her cap came off in the mile.
It’s interesting that Katie is faster at this meet than Summer in the 200 and 800 but not the 400
To the surprise of nobody
That’s why she’s the GOAT
Can anybody explain how it is possible to have comfortable advantage at 200 distance, significant advantage at 800 and to be even or slower by 0.08 at 400 (Ledecky vs McIntosh case)
One factor: McIntosh is no longer training to swim 800 and longer races.
A comfortable advantage in the women’s 200 meter freestyle? What are you talking about? Katie Ledecky did not beat Siobhan Haughey in the women’s 200 meter freestyle at the 2022 FINA World Cup.
A comfortable advantage in the women’s 200 meter freestyle? What are you talking about? Katie Ledecky did not medal in the women’s 200 meter freestyle at the Tokyo 2021 Olympics and did not swim the women’s 200 meter freestyle at the 2022 FINA World Aquatics Championships.
He’s talking about this World cup where she comfortably beat Mcintosh in the 200 Free… use your brain sometimes.
Since when is McIntosh the measuring stick in the women’s 200 meter freestyle …. use your brain sometimes.
They’re talking specifically about the performances during World Cup. It makes little sense for McIntosh to win the 400 when she lost both the 200 and 800. She must have just been really “on” that day she swam the 400 or maybe Ledecky underperformed in the 400. Who knows.