A Half-Century Apart, Katie Ledecky and Casey Converse Are Now Linked By Their Distance Greatness
The Site: Cleveland, Ohio. The Meet: The 1977 NCAA Championships. The Event: The 1650-yard freestyle.
On March 26, 1977, Casey Converse made history in the pool. Less than a year removed from representing the United States at the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal, Converse became the first athlete to break the 15-minute barrier in the 1650 freestyle. Behind a time of 14:57.30, the University of Alabama standout cut an incredible nine seconds from the previous NCAA/American record, the 15:06.76 managed by Tim Shaw a year earlier.
Why the trip back in time? Well, over the weekend, Katie Ledecky joined Converse as a sub-15:00 performer in the mile. Racing at her namesake meet, the Katie Ledecky Invitational, the 28-year-old American distance legend touched the wall in 14:59.62 to break her own American record of 15:01.41, set in 2023. Ledecky now sits 24-plus seconds faster than the No. 2 woman in history, Erica Sullivan (15:23.81).
Although the science is not exact, the gap between men’s and women’s event records generally sits in the 50-year range. For example, the recently retired Ariarne Titmus owns the world record in the women’s 200-meter freestyle, thanks to her sensational 1:52.23 clocking at the 2024 Australian Olympic Trials. Titmus produced that time 52 years after Mark Spitz went 1:52.78 in the event at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich.
It took 48 years for Ledecky to match Converse’s barrier-breaking performance, and she accomplished the feat in stylish fashion. Ledecky has long been an inspiration to rising swimmers, and approximately 1500 youngsters were expected to compete at the Ledecky Invitational, which was held at the University of Maryland. When Ledecky cracked the 15-minute barrier on Sunday, she was loudly cheered and provided a moment for those in attendance to remember.
Photo Courtesy: Alabama Athletics
Although separated by a half-century, Ledecky and Converse (who passed away in 2024) now share a common accomplishment – the first of their genders to go sub-15:00 in the 1650 freestyle. Both will be remembered for joining a special club, much like Jim Montgomery (100 freestyle) and Natalie Coughlin (100 backstroke) are lauded for being the first athletes of their genders to go under a minute in their specialty events in the long-course pool.
When Converse was at his peak in the 1970s, he engaged in several epic races, including the final of the 400-meter freestyle at the 1976 United States Olympic Trials. In that event, Converse finished third, behind Brian Goodell and Shaw, to earn a spot at the 1976 Games in Montreal. That final also featured stars John Naber, Bruce Furniss, Mike Bruner, Bobby Hackett and Doug Northway. It was a clash of titans.
Throughout her career, Ledecky has demonstrated what is possible in the women’s distance-freestyle events. Although she initially enjoyed a massive gap over her competition, Ledecky lit a fire under her foes, pushing the likes of Summer McIntosh and Lani Pallister to clock in the 8:05 range in the 800 freestyle. As was the case for Converse at the 1976 Trials, Ledecky dueled with a spectacular field at the 2025 World Championships, winning gold in the 800 freestyle. She was followed to the wall by Pallister and McIntosh.
Following his career in the pool, Converse transitioned to the deck and became a successful coach, notably at the Air Force Academy. As for Ledecky, she’s still getting faster on the path to the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Whatever the future holds, she and Converse are now linked. They might be separated by 50 years, but they’ll forever be recalled for taking the 1650 freestyle into new territory.