Katie Ledecky Cruises in 1500 Free Heats After Rare Loss in 400

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Katie Ledecky, in a class of her own Photo Courtesy: Becca Wyant

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FINA World Swimming Championships: (Katie Ledecky in 1500)

Gwangju 2019

Day 2 Heats

USA’s Katie Ledecky cruised through the women’s 1500 free heats on Monday morning at the 2019 FINA World Swimming Championships in Gwangju. Ledecky swam a 15:48.90, which is well off her best time and world record of 15:20.48. There was intrigued around how Ledecky was swimming this morning after taking an uncharacteristic silver in the 400 free last night. Ledecky is aiming for a fourth straight World title in the 1500 free as the final will take place on Tuesday night in Gwangju.

Italy’s Simona Quadarella (15:51.59) is the second seed as she made her debut in the pool this week. She did not swim the 400 free on Sunday to presumably conserve energy for the 1500. Now that the women’s 1500 is an Olympic event, distance swimmers will likely drop the 400 from their program to focus on the 800 and 1500. Germany’s Sarah Kohler (15:54.08) placed third in the heats as she also dropped the 400 from her program.

Hungary’s Ajna Kesely, who had a great race in the 400 last night just missing out on a medal, is fourth at 15:54.48. The successful junior swimmer has translated that junior success to the senior level and could be in line to win a medal tomorrow night in the 1500.

USA’s Ashley Twichell, who secured a spot on the US Olympic Team next summer in the 10K, is the fifth seed at 15:56.22. Twichell was sixth in the 10K earlier in the competition as she has stayed to swim the pool 1500 this week.

Australia’s Kiah Melverton (15:59.92) was the sixth swimmer to break 16:00 in the heats as China’s Wang Jianjiahe (16:00.17) and Australia’s Maddy Gough (16:02.75) also got into the final.

1	LEDECKY	Katie	USA	15:48.90
2	QUADARELLA	Simona	ITA	15:51.59
3	KOHLER	Sarah	GER	15:54.08
4	KESELY	Ajna	HUN	15:54.48
5	TWICHELL	Ashley	USA	15:56.22
6	MELVERTON	Kiah	AUS	15:59.92
7	WANG	Jianjiahe	CHN	16:00.17
8	GOUGH	Maddy	AUS	16:02.75

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