Katie Ledecky Rips Fifth-Fastest Time in History in 1500 Freestyle at Fort Lauderdale Open
One year after setting a world record in the 800-meter freestyle during the TYR Pro Series, Katie Ledecky returned to Fort Lauderdale on Wednesday for the Fort Lauderdale Open. Clearly, the environment suits the four-time Olympian, as Ledecky delivered one of the fastest times of her career in the 1500 freestyle, clocking 15:25.62 during the meet’s distance night.
Under world-record pace during the early stages of the race, Ledecky ultimately logged the fifth-quickest performance in history, and a mark that only she has bettered. The world-record holder in 15:20.48 (2018), Ledecky posted a time on Wednesday night that is six seconds clear of the No. 2 performer of all-time, Italian Simona Quadarella (15:31.79). Ledecky now owns the 13-fastest times in the event.
Racing to a victory of more than a minute, Ledecky opened with 58.74 split for the opening 100 meters and made the 200-meter turn in 2:00.14. She split 4:04.12 at the 400 and was 8:12.66 at 800 meters. Ledecky is slated to contest the 200 freestyle, 400 freestyle and 800 freestyle over the final three days of the meet.
Ledecky will compete at the Pan Pacific Championships this summer in Southern California, and the future Hall of Famer is obviously in fine form with that competition on the horizon. In addition to her world record, Ledecky has only three other times faster than what she managed on the opening night of the Fort Lauderdale Open. She was 15:23.21 last year in Austin, 15:24.51 last year in Fort Lauderdale and 15:25.48 at the 2015 World Championships in Kazan, that effort a world record at the time.
The fact that the 19-year-old Ledecky has registered three of the fastest times of her career in the event in the last year-plus is a testament not only to her talent, but to her longevity and continued ability to transform the distance events.
In the men’s 1500 freestyle, William Mulgrew (15:05.30) emerged with the win, finishing ahead of Bobby Finke (15:13.62). A freshman at Harvard, Mulgrew was ninth in the 1650 freestyle at last month’s NCAA Championships.
