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.
Katie just may be the greatest woman swimmer ever.
Said Ted Leonisis, “She’s a one in a billion human being”
Was there really any doubt? ?
Of course she did
Evangeline Marshall some motivation
Chloe Holt
Stephanie
Nick Radziul
Wow. Way to go girl!!
Katie is a record smashing human machine.
Love how they just snuck “in prelims” in there
Welp there ya go. Dave Toffy
She’s not professional?????
Dave Toffy nah, she wanted to swim at Stanford
Katia anda con todo Ximena Tinoco Perez
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!
Can’t wait to watch her at NCAA’s
No biggie, a prelim swim in Nov….yawn….just another day at the Office for Ms. Ledecky.
Said a teammate about Katie, “A bad day for Katie is when she wins, but doesn’t set a World’s Record”!
sick time!
It’s that Ohio State Water that did the trick
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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Wendy Linn Jacobs- Devyn saw her today!
“Katie. Katie ledecky” Aziz
Unstoppable
Yes! Katie!
Beast Mode?
Veronica Bracamonte: Martina!
This woman is an unbelievable champion. She doesn’t chip away at records, she smashes them.