Just an hour or so after breaking the national high school record in the 200 free, Katie Ledecky was back to put up the second-fastest 500 free time in history, just off her American record set last night.
Ledecky went 4:27.88, just over a second off her previous record set in prelims. Ledecky has traditionally gone after the 500 more in prelims at this meet, given that the longer event is given its own session Friday night. Last year, Ledecky was 4:28.71 in prelims (at that time the American record) and just 4:34.01 at finals.
That she was this much closer to her lifetime-best in tonight’s final suggests she perhaps went after the record again, but the cumulative fatigue of Friday’s 500 and a pair of 200s on Saturday added up to the second between her and the American record.
Ledecky’s splits are below:
- 25.00
- 26.43 (51.43)
- 26.92 (1:18.35)
- 27.15 (1:45.50)
- 27.10 (2:12.60)
- 27.07 (2:39.67)
- 27.22 (3:06.89)
- 27.37 (3:34.26)
- 27.24 (4:01.50)
- 26.38 (4:27.88)
Ledecky was a bit off her record pace most of the way (not hitting 26s as often as in prelims), but the biggest difference came in the final 100, where she was earth-shattering splits of 26.8 and 25.9 last night.
You can find live results of the meet here (though they’re not updating in real time as of this article’s publication).
Also, I think you’re right that she was going for the record; she went out faster than her prelims time and didn’t start following behind the record pace until the 350 mark. It was a courageous and amazing attempt on the record!
Sorry to nit-pick, but it’s incorrect that she was “off pace from the get-go” tonight. In fact, she was under her 4:26 pace tonight through 300 yards. Yesterday she was 2:39.80; today 2:39.67. She fell off in the final 200 tonight. Yesterday’s splits are below. One thing’s for sure — both swims were spectacular!
24.94,
51.74 (26.80),
1:18.70 (26.96),
1:45.77 (27.07),
2:12.96 (27.19),
2:39.80 (26.84),
3:06.63 (26.83),
3:33.76 (27.13),
4:00.63 (26.87),
4:26.58 (25.95).
Correction – she was indeed behind at the 50 split, but was ahead from 50 to 300.
Didn’t expect this at all after a 1:41 200 free! Amazing that 4:27 is her “slow” time for the weekend.