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Ledecky eases into US championships with 800m free win
IRVINE, United States, July 26, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – World record-holder Katie
Ledecky cruised to victory in the 800m freestyle at the US swimming
championships on Wednesday to lock down a berth for the Pan Pacific
Championships next month.
Ledecky, owner of the top 10 times ever posted in the event, was under
world record pace through 350 meters, but settled for a comfortable victory
in 8min 11.98 sec — well outside the world record of 4:08.79 she set at the
Rio Olympics in 2016.
“Usually it takes me a few races to get into these meets, so (I) knew that
was going to be the case probably,” said Ledecky, whose four victories in Rio
took her tally of Olympic gold medals to five.
The 21-year-old American was confident she would find more speed before
the Pan Pacs in Tokyo August 9-14.
“I felt pretty smooth throughout,” she said. “I never really was able to
change gears. I’ll get back to work and find ways to be better in a couple of
weeks.”
While Ledecky was easing into the meet — a qualifier not only for Pan
Pacs but also for next year’s world championships in South Korea — Hali
Flickinger capped a career day with a victory in the 200m butterfly.
Flickinger, 24, sliced almost a full second of her lifetime best in the
heats with a time of 2:05.87.
She broke the US Open record of 2:05.96 set by Mary T. Meagher in 1981 in
becoming the third-fastest US woman ever.
She couldn’t quite reproduce that in the final, but she held on to win in
2:06.14, with Katie Drabot second in 2:07.18 and Regan Smith third in
2:07.42.
“I definitely think it is a step in the right direction,” Flickinger said.
“I definitely know there’s more in the tank. That just showed me that it’s
going to come.”
Blake Pieroni, 22, stormed home to beat 2012 Olympic champion Nathan
Adrian in the 100m freestyle in 48.08sec.
MORE/MR/ 1026 hrs
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Adrian, who also owns four Olympic relay golds, was philosophical.
“In a race like that you’re just racing for places,” said Adrian, who was
second in 48.25sec and like Ledecky thought he’d find more speed heading into
Tokyo.
“Usually I do get a little faster with that extra two weeks of rest,” he
said.
Townley Haas was third in 48.30 and Zachary Apple fourth in 48.34. Caeleb
Dressel, who won the 100m free as part of his seven-gold haul at the world
championships in Budapest last year, finished sixth in 48.50.
He was entered in seven more events this week, so still had plenty of
chances to make the Pan Pacs, where he could yet secure a 100m free berth at
the 2019 worlds.
– Not Dressel’s best –
Adrian said Dressel, who inked his first sponsorship deal with Speedo last
week, was adjusting to his departure from the US collegiate amateur ranks at
the right time, with the 2020 Tokyo Olympics still two years away.
“It’s certainly not the best that we’ve seen from Caeleb (but) he’s going
to be down to 47-low as early as next year,” Adrian said.
World and Olympic champion Simone Manuel notched a dominant victory in the
women’s 100m free in 52.54, with Mallory Comerford’s second in 53.09 and
Margo Geer third in 53.44.
Justin Wright surged from seventh place at the halfway stage — fifth at
the final turn — to win the men’s 200m fly in 1:54.63.
Zach Harting was second in 1:55.11 and 16-year-old Gianluca Urlando and
Jack Conger tied for third in 1:55.21.
Jordan Wilimovsky, already headed to Pan Pacs in open water, won the men’s
1,500m free in 14:48.89 – fifth fastest in the world this year.
BSS/AFP/MR/ 1026 hrs