On Saturday at the Delaware Swim Team’s First State Cup, high school senior Katie Ledecky swam the third-fastest time ever in the 500 yard freestyle.
On Sunday, she did one better, and swam the second-fastest time in history in the women’s 1000 free, posting a 9:11.31 that is her own personal best in the event. It leaves her just behind Katie Hoff’s 9:10.77 as the American, U.S. Open, and 17-18 National Age Group Records in the event.
The new all-time top 10:
- Hoff, 9:10.77 (12/2007)
- Ledecky, 9:11.31 (11/2014)
- Ledecky, 9:14.22 (12/2013)
- Ziegler, 9:18.35 (12/2007)
- Ziegler, 9:21.57 (12/2006)
- Ledecky, 9:22.35 (11/2012)
- Hoff, 9:23.33 (03/2009)
- Brittany MacLean, 9:23.78 (03/2014)
- Ziegler, 9:24.36 (02/2007)
- Ziegler, 9:24.80 (12/2005)
Ledecky was out in this swim in 4:35.16, meaning she would have to even-split the race to get Hoff’s record. She very nearly did so, too, coming home in 4:36.15 – just a second slower than she opened.
Ledecky’s previous personal best came en route to a 1650 American/U.S. Open Record (by nine seconds), so it’s no surprise that she was able to clear that time when stopping at the 1000 mark. Ledecky doesn’t often swim this 1000 free in yards since she’s become an Olympic champion and World Record holder; however, she will be 18 until NCAA’s of her freshman season at Stanford, which means that she’ll still have many opportunities to get the National Age Group Record before moving up – the only of the three marks that Hoff’s time holds that has a clock on it.
Ledecky swam this race against boys, and USA Swimming has verified that any records done would have counted (unlike World Records, where women can’t break them swimming against men). The only male to beat Ledecky was her teammate Matthew Hirschberger, who was a 9:06.08: the third-best swim of his career. A third NCAP swimmer, Harvard commit Gavin Springer, swam a 9:15.32.
According to Swim Swam twitter, Ledecky also popped a 1:42.5 200 free and 4:07 400IM today after the 9:11 1000. Wow!
I’m new to swimming, but yesterday someone made a comment about Franklin’s time this weekend in the 500 free, saying she had swum a 4:57. I was really shocked, considering that Franklin’s best in the event seems to be 4:32+ and Ledecky swam a 4:30.9 this weekend. Now in this event (1000), Ledecky swims a 9:11 while the fastest time from the Cal-Texas meet was a 9:50, with Cierra Runge swimming a 9:55. I know Ledecky is awesome, but why are the NCAA times so much slower? This is the same event, right (short course, yards)?
Hi northern sue – it’s in part training, Ledecky tends to swim faster than most in season (remember that she broke a World Record in a non-descript meet in Texas earlier this year). I don’t know enough about her exact training to know why, but generally she’s faster, whereas those times will get much closer together on a taper.
Beyond that – Ledecky is just absurdly fast. In distance swimming, both on the men’s and women’s sides but especially on the women’s side, the gap between the really good distance swimmers and the best distance swimmer is huge. That’s in part, I suspect, because people who aren’t going to win NCAA’s in the mile probably would prefer to train for… Read more »
The top 3 in both distance races were the same 3 swimmers from NCAP. NCAP distance swimmers probably made this meet a focus meet. I’m sure Ledecky swims quite a bit slower in dual meets with other schools. Woodlands TX may have been a minor meet, but it was certainly a focus meet for NCAP just after 2 weeks of altitude training.
Jim C – that’s very possible, could be on some kind of a microcycle training format.
They didn’t taper for this meet at all if that’s what you’re trying to say. Bruce Gemmell is just a really good coach and Ledecky has always been a tough racer who obviously rose to the challenge of racing the boys this weekend.
Swam – don’t make drama where there is no drama, please.
There’s a difference between tapering and training on cycles. Any coach who doesn’t work any kind of cycles into their training other than a full taper twice a year is doing it wrong.
I hope the slower time for Franklin is just a temporary setback caused by heavy training but I am a bit concerned she is not swimming backstroke in college. Most of us expected Missy to improve her turns swimming SCY but so far it did not really happen. Her 200 free was phenomenal at NCAA finals last year but as of now I would put my money on Ledecky in head to head race. Perhaps she misses high altitude training from Colorado? Overall it seems to me Missy did not benefit from Cal Bears as much as some of us thought she would.
Katie Ledecky’s an absolute beast! So happy for her! The sky’s the limit as far as her amazing talent’s concerned!
To the disrespectful commenters here saying Ledecky should stay away from Stanford… All I can say is Hoff’s record’s a goner for sure once Coach Meehan gets his hands on Queen Ledecky and works his magic 🙂
Now let’s be realistic. The Card’s slightly vulnerable in the distance events. CURRENTLY. Might turn out to be a tight slugfest this March duking it out with the returning champs.
Those pesky Bulldogs do have their Canadian stars to make a difference in the distance events. Their deep depth’s especially dangerous even if they will win few individual or relay titles.… Read more »
Katie Ledecky is hassling The Hoff.
SVEN FOR THE WIN!
Is Katie going to short course worlds?
Philip – she’s not. Full American roster here:
http://swimswam.com/usa-swimming-announces-roster-2014-short-course-world-championships/
This was swum pretty early in the morning. Not many people can go 9:11 and not many people can do it this early in the morning.
9.11 in her first meet of the season. Not bad. 😆
Perhaps a fully tapered Katie Ledecky could swim one day under 9 minutes?