Katie Ledecky finished the US swimming championships on a high note Saturday, winning the 1,500m freestyle in 15:29.64 seconds to secure a fourth individual event at the World Championships in Fukuoka, Japan.
Ledecky, who established the world record in the same Indianapolis Natatorium pool in 2018 with a time of 15:20.48, set the sixth-fastest time ever and now ranks among the top 15.
The seven-time Olympic gold medalist beat the water in delight after checking the scoreboard, having removed the taste of a dissatisfying performance in her 400m free win on Friday.
“It’s amazing what a morning off can do,” Ledecky beamed. I just wanted to finish on a good note.
“I really don’t like ending a meet with a bad swim so I just really wanted to have a great swim tonight.
“I think that’s the first time I’ve been under 15:30 since the pandemic, so I’m really happy with that,” she added.
Katie Grimes, winner of the 400m individual medley, qualified for her second World Championships with a distant second-place finish in 15:58.34.
Ledecky, who also has 19 global titles, capped off her meet with two great performances in her longest races, beginning with the 800m freestyle on Tuesday.
In between, she finished second in the 200m free behind teenager Claire Weinstein and won the 400m free in a slow 4:00.45, leaving her work to do in Fukuoka next month to challenge world record holder Summer McIntosh of Canada and Australian Olympic gold medallist Ariarne Titmus.
The 26-year-old, now training in Florida with coach Anthony Nesty, appears up for that challenge and more.
“There’s a lot more to come,” she said.
Kate Douglass claimed her second title of the meet with an impressive 200m individual medley win in 2:07.09 — second-fastest in the world this year behind McIntosh’s 2:06.89.
Alex Walsh was second in 2:07.89.
Carson Foster, silver medallist at last year’s World Championships in Budapest, won the men’s 200m medley in 1:56.19.
Shaine Casas, the eighth and last qualifier for the final, finished second in 1:57.47 to earn a spot in the World Championships.
Bobby Finke, who won gold in the 1,500m and 800m freestyle events in the Tokyo Olympics, accomplished the distance free double by winning the 800m in 7:40.34. Dant Ross came in second with a time of 7:48.10.
At the other end of the scale, veteran Abbey Weitzeil won the women’s 50m free in 24.00 seconds and Ryan Held won the men’s 50m free in 21.50 seconds.
Caeleb Dressel, who won five gold medals at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, did not qualify for the final, missing out on his final chance to join the Fukuoka team as he goes through the early stages of a comeback after months away from the sport.
