Katie Ledecky Tops Distance Field in 800 Free Prelims at 2015 FINA World Championships

Photo Courtesy: R-Sport / MIA Rossiya Segodnya

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Katie Ledecky led the women’s 800-meter free in prelims posting a final time of 8:19.42 to claim the first-place seed coming back for finals. While she was 8.21 seconds off her world best of 8:11.21 for 2015 there is hardly a doubt that Ledecky will return to finals determined to hit the 8:11 mark.

Australia’s Jessica Ashwood claimed the second-place seed with a time of 8:22.17, only slightly behind her 2015 world best time of 8:21.33 from the NSW State Championships.

Denmark’s Lotte Friis improved upon her world best time of 8:25.07, turning in a time of 8:23.12 to situate herself in the middle of the pool with Ledecky and Ashwood for finals.

New Zealand’s Lauren Boyle finished close behind Friis, posting an 8:23.66. Boyle will look to improve upon her world best time of 8:23.57 in finals.

Jaz Carlin of Great Britain posted a time of 8:23.83 for the fifth place seed. Carlin will need to improve upon her prelims time to maintain her spot as third in the world rankings (8:21.58) while also trying to bypass Friis and Boyle.

Sharon van Rouwendaal turned in a final time of 8:24.83 to improve upon her world ranking of 8:26.18 from the Romanian Nationals. Rouwendaal’s new time moves her up to eighth in the rankings while also earning her the sixth-place seed for finals.

Germany’s Sarah Kohler grabbed the seventh-place seed with a finishing time of 8:26.16, shaving .07 seconds off her 2015 world best of 8:28.23.

Boglarka Kapas of Hungary claimed the final spot with a time of 8:26.96, just slightly off her world best of 8:23.71 which she set earlier this year at the Trofeu Sette Colli in Rome.

SCHEDULED EVENTS

Men’s 50 Free

Women’s 50 Fly

Men’s 100 Fly

Women’s 200 Back

Men’s 4×200 Free Relay

Women’s 800 Free

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Bill V.

8 years ago

Calling every competitor’s time “world best” was absolutely perplexing.