Katie Ledecky Breaks 500 Free NCAA Record in Prelims at Ohio State Invite

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

Katie Ledecky has been known to crack out some monster efforts during prelims swims, and she did just that in her very first swim at the Ohio State Invitational Friday morning. The Stanford freshman posted a 4:27.54 in the 500 free, crushing Leah Smith’s NCAA record of 4:30.37 from 2015.

That time ranks as the third-fastest performance of all-time, and Ledecky now holds each of the top seven swims on that list. Her American record of 4:26.58 figures to come under fire in finals Friday evening. Ledecky, obviously, was the top qualifier in the event, with the Kentucky duo of Genna Freriks (4:39.34) and Ali Galyer (4:42.27) qualifying second and third, respectively.

This marks the second NCAA record of Ledecky’s career after she broke Smith’s mark in the 1000 free Saturday. With tech suits and likely some rest for this weekend’s invitational, she is a danger to records in any event she competes in.

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Ted Caron

7 years ago

Katie just may be the greatest woman swimmer ever.

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bryan shapiro, M.D.

7 years ago

Reply to Ted Caron

Said Ted Leonisis, “She’s a one in a billion human being”

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Shannon Zajac Pfannenstein

7 years ago

Was there really any doubt? ?

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7 years ago

Of course she did

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7 years ago

Evangeline Marshall some motivation

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Camille Jeffries Holt

7 years ago

Chloe Holt

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7 years ago

Stephanie

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7 years ago

Nick Radziul

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Patricia Hankinson Goddard

7 years ago

Wow. Way to go girl!!

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7 years ago

Katie is a record smashing human machine.

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7 years ago

Love how they just snuck “in prelims” in there

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Spencer Rausch

7 years ago

Welp there ya go. Dave Toffy

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7 years ago

Reply to Spencer Rausch

She’s not professional?????

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Spencer Rausch

7 years ago

Reply to Spencer Rausch

Dave Toffy nah, she wanted to swim at Stanford

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7 years ago

Katia anda con todo Ximena Tinoco Perez

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Bill Bell

7 years ago

Where’s Sun Yang (Ian Thorpe? Mack Hirton? Paul Biedermann?) when ya’ ned ’em?

Four twenty- seven in November equates to oh, say a 3:55 come,NCAAs!

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Kathleen Meehan McLaughlin

7 years ago

Can’t wait to watch her at NCAA’s

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7 years ago

No biggie, a prelim swim in Nov….yawn….just another day at the Office for Ms. Ledecky.

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bryan shapiro, M.D.

7 years ago

Reply to Dave Hoover

Said a teammate about Katie, “A bad day for Katie is when she wins, but doesn’t set a World’s Record”!

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Susan L. Lansbury

7 years ago

sick time!

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7 years ago

It’s that Ohio State Water that did the trick

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Shari Kennedy Halsmer

7 years ago

Then she cooled down, dried off, and walked back to the side of the pool to cheer on her teammates. A class act!

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Stephen Cornillie

7 years ago

????????????????????

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Lisa Cronin Nan

7 years ago

Wendy Linn Jacobs- Devyn saw her today!

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Phylicia Johnson Musa

7 years ago

“Katie. Katie ledecky” Aziz

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Richard Willmore

7 years ago

Unstoppable

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Karen Bundick Crook

7 years ago

Yes! Katie!

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7 years ago

Beast Mode?

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7 years ago

Veronica Bracamonte: Martina!

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Roger W. Hirsch

7 years ago

This woman is an unbelievable champion. She doesn’t chip away at records, she smashes them.

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