2017 FINA WORLD SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Sunday, July 23rd – Sunday, July 30th
- Budapest, Hungary
- LCM (50m)
- Full Competition Schedule
- Meet Info
- Psych Sheets
- Omega Results
- Pick ’em Contest
- Event-by-Event Previews
Katie Ledecky won her first of a potential four individual gold medals on night 1 in Budapest, registering a new Championship Record in the women’s 400 freestyle.
After first breaking the meet record in the heats in 3:59.06, Ledecky re-lowered it down to 3:58.34, the 2nd fastest swim of all-time. With that swim, Ledecky now owns nine of the ten fastest swims in history, moving Federica Pellegrini‘s 3:59.15 from 2009 down to 10th with her two swims today. Additionally, she now owns 13 of the 14 fastest swims in history.
Ledecky’s teammate Leah Smith got in there for silver in a time of 4:01.54, and teenagers Li Bingjie (4:03.25) and Ariarne Titmus (4:04.26) took 3rd and 4th.
Women’s 400 Free All-Time Top 10 Performances
- Katie Ledecky, 3:56.46 – 2016 Olympic final
- Katie Ledecky, 3:58.34 – 2017 Worlds final
- Katie Ledecky, 3:58.37 – 2014 Pan Pacs final
- Katie Ledecky, 3:58.44 – 2017 Nationals final
- Katie Ledecky, 3:58.71 – 2016 Olympic prelim
- Katie Ledecky, 3:58.86 – 2015 Nationals final
- Katie Ledecky, 3:58.98 – 2016 Olympic Trials final
- Katie Ledecky, 3:59.06 – 2017 Worlds prelim
- Katie Ledecky, 3:59.13 – 2015 Worlds final
- Federica Pellegrini, 3:59.15 – 2009 Worlds final
By the time Katie is over, she will be the greatest female swimmer of all time.
I’m beginning to worry about “1500 final-200free semi” double. She was more than a second slower in 400 relay than she did it in Rio. It is either 50 minutes wasn’t enough time for her to recover after 400 ( not like world record race) or we see similar problems with her tapering as what’s happened at NCAA final. She looks no better than at trials by far. Whatever the situation is we may witness the same difficulties with 200semi and following 200 final as she had in Kazan when she was two years younger.
Katie Ledecky did not have to swim the preliminaries and final of the women’s 400 m freestyle prior to the women’s 4 x100 m freestyle relay at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Ledecky is and will continue to be a dominant swimmer for years to come. With that said, does anyone else think she may have reached her peak in 2016?
All I know is that I sure hope not. Definitely expected faster then that time based on her very un rested time from trials.
I think that right now she is choosing to pick her battles. I think we should expect big things in her 800 and 200 but if not…. than maybe so ( to the disappointment of us all)
How about some perspective?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pivXUhLwfbo
She didn’t get the WR in 2015, and then pulled off the Ledecky Slam and went 3:56 the next year. That being said, this, combined with her split on the relay (over a second slower than last year) could be the first sign of peaking. We’ll have to see how she looks later in the week though.
I know this will come off as an unpopular comment, but she doesn’t look as “fit” this year. That could be due to a range of things (post-Olympic “relax” year? college life? nature and the female body in general? some undisclosed illness/injury? etc). Depending on which one (or multiple) reasons, it’s very possible we see her dominate for another Olympic cycle (at least in the 400/800/1500) without another WR ever being broken again in her career.
I’m a calm, mature adult who appreciates the perspectives of all people. That said, I’d like to provide Katie your name and address so she can go to your house and kick your ass.
So….do you actually have a point to make against what I said? Or is it just going to be an emotional response?
Do a little reading about how Katie does her training and goal setting. She walked around with that 3:56 goal time written on her pull buoy for all to see (although it was slightly encoded) for years. If Katie doesn’t break a world record this week, it’s because it’s not in her plan for this week.
So her goal this past year (and into the biggest meet of the year) is to swim slower? Got it….
Katie Ledecky
100 m free
2016 Olympic Trials
Heats – 54.04
Semifinals – 54.04
Final – 53.99
Katie Ledecky
100 m free
2017 Worlds Trials
Heats – 54.70
Final – 54.35
Katie Ledecky
100 m free
Personal Best – 53.75 (15 Jan 2016)
How about some perspective?
Aside from Katie Ledecky, no female has swam under 4:00 in the women’s 400 m freestyle wearing a textile suit.