LumaLanes Performance of the Week: Katie Ledecky’s 1,650 Freestyle

Photo Courtesy: Stanford Athletics

The week’s LumaLanes Performance of the Week goes to Stanford freshman and Olympic gold medalist Katie Ledecky for the second straight week as she continued her onslaught on the NCAA record book this week at the 2016 Ohio State Invitational. Ledecky broke three NCAA records at the meet, with her most notable performance coming in the 1,650 freestyle on the last day of the meet.

Heading into the 1,650 freestyle, Ledecky already owned the American record in the event at 15:13.30 from way back in 2014. The Stanford freshman hadn’t swum the event in short course yards since then, and with a few world records in the long course mile between now and then Ledecky was due to throw down a best time. The only question was how fast Ledecky would end up going, having already broken the NCAA record in the 1,000 in a dual meet last week against the University of Texas and the 500 free earlier in the week.

The distance star didn’t disappoint, splitting a 9:08.99 at the 1,000 to finish with a final time of 15:03.92. That beats her old best time and American record by nearly ten seconds while also crushing Leah Smith’s NCAA record of 15:25.30 by more than twenty seconds. That time also positions Ledecky as the fastest woman in history by more than twenty seconds. The second fastest time in the event belongs to Katie Hoff, who was the previous American record holder at 15:24.35 from 2008. Ledecky broke that record in 2013.

Ledecky’s performance in the 1,650 freestyle gives her four NCAA and two American records so far for the season. Her 9:08.99 split at the 1,000 also breaks her week-old NCAA record in the event, and gives her six of the seven fastest times ever in the event. She still owns the American record with a 8:59.65 from the NCAP Invitational last December.

Congratulations Katie Ledecky on earning Swimming World’s Performance of the Week!

Special Thanks to LumaLanes for sponsoring Swimming World’s Performance of the Week.

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marklewis

7 years ago

No doubt she will be the first woman under 15:00 in the 1650.

It must be fun to know you’ll easily win most of your races!

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!