By James Sutherland on SwimSwam
Ultra Swim Swimmer of the Month is a recurring SwimSwam feature shedding light on a U.S.-based swimmer who has proven themselves over the past month. As with any item of recognition, Swimmer of the Month is a subjective exercise meant to highlight one athlete whose work holds noteworthy context – perhaps a swimmer who was visibly outperforming other swimmers over the month, or one whose accomplishments slipped through the cracks among other high-profile swims. If your favorite athlete wasn’t selected, feel free to respectfully recognize them in our comment section.
Katie Ledecky caught everyone off guard at the Fort Lauderdale Pro Swim at the beginning of May.
Already entrenched as the greatest female swimmer of all-time, Ledecky hadn’t seriously approached her personal best times in the women’s 400, 800 and 1500 free in years, and though she’s a massive favorite to win world titles in the 800 and 1500 again this summer, no one expected her to swim as fast she did in Fort Lauderdale.
The 28-year-old kicked things off on the opening night of racing in the timed final of the 1500 free, producing a time of 15:24.51 to mark the second-fastest swim both of her career and all-time, only trailing her world record of 15:20.48 set in May of 2018.
Since 2016, Ledecky had only been under 15:29 one other time prior to this swim, going 15:26.27 at the 2023 World Championships.
She followed up by posting the second-fastest swim of her career in the 400 free, touching in 3:56.81 to break the 3:57 barrier for the first time since setting the world record (which has since been broken) of 3:56.46 at the 2016 Olympics.
In addition to her 2016 swim, Ledecky had only been under 3:58 two other times prior to going 3:56.81, winning Olympic silver in 2021 in 3:57.36 and clocking 3:57.94 at the 2018 Pro Swim in Indy, the same meet in which she set the 1500 free world record.
Ledecky put the cherry on top of her fantastic meet on the final night of racing, setting a new world record in the women’s 800 free in a time of 8:04.12, lowering her nine-year-old mark of 8:04.79 set at the 2016 Olympics.
That swim marked her first individual long course world record in seven years.
In addition to those three performances, which all rank 1st in the world this season by a wide margin, Ledecky also clocked a season-best of 1:55.51 in the 200 free in Fort Lauderdale to finish as the runner-up to Claire Weinstein (1:54.93) and rank 3rd in the world this season.
Ledecky now turns her focus to the U.S. National Championships, where she comes in as the top seed in the 400, 800 and 1500 free, and is seeded 2nd to Weinstein in the 200 free.
About Ultra Swim
Ultra Swim is the shampoo made for swimmers. It gently removes harmful chlorine, and prevents damaged hair. So swim all you want, without sacrificing your hair.
Like Ultra Swim on Facebook
See all Ultra Swim Products here
Buy Ultra Swim at these locations
Ultra Swim is a SwimSwam partner.
Read the full story on SwimSwam: Ultra Swimmer of the Month: Katie Ledecky
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Ultra Swimmer of the Month: Katie Ledecky )
Also on site :
- Iga Swiatek survives Elena Rybakina blitz to progress at French Open: ‘It was like playing Jannik Sinner’
- I’m nine-time NBA All-Star eliminated by Thunder after being hired to design $2 billion arena
- Manchester United agree Matheus Cunha signing from Wolves