2025 U.S. World Trials Previews: Chase for 2nd Behind Ledecky Looms Over the 800 Freestyle

2025 U.S. NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Tuesday, June 3 – Saturday, June 7, 2025
• Indianapolis, Indiana
• Indiana University Natatorium
• LCM (50 meters)
• Meet Central
• World Championship Selection Criteria

By The Numbers – Women’s 800 Freestyle

• World Record: 8:04.12 – Katie Ledecky, USA (2025)
• American Record: 8:04.12 – Katie Ledecky (2025)
• 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials Champion: Katie Ledecky, 8:14.12
• World Aquatics ‘A’ Cut: 8:34.62

As is the story every year, the women’s 800 freestyle is poised to be a race for 2nd place behind distance legend Katie Ledecky. However, the question of who will be in that race looks to be one of the most intriguing points of this whole meet. 

Ledecky the Legend 

Let’s get started with the obvious: Katie Ledecky is back and better than ever. After winning both the 800 and 1500 freestyle at the Paris Olympics last summer, Ledecky took a break from the sport, returning to the pool in October. That break seems to have shifted the clock back on the 28-year-old’s career as she posted a dominant performance at the Fort Lauderdale stop of the Pro Swim Series a few weeks ago, dropping her best times in a decade. 

Katie Ledecky via Chris Pose/CPosePhoto

In Fort Lauderdale, Ledecky inched close to her best times in both the 1500 freestyle (15:24.51) and 400 freestyle (3:56.81) putting the world on notice. All eyes were on Ledecky as she entered the pool for the 800 freestyle, the event that first put her on the Olympic podium back in 2012. With her long standing World Record of 8:04.79 from the 2016 Olympics looming over her, Ledecky held nothing back. Flipping at the last turn she remained right on World Record pace, using the momentum to push herself to the wall, Ledecky touched in a remarkable 8:04.12. Not only did Ledecky shatter her oldest World Record, she shattered it by .3 seconds. 

Ledecky’s performance in Fort Lauderdale marks a new era for her in what many assumed would be the twilight of her career. At 28-years-old, Ledecky, once the youngest star on the US Olympic Team, is now one of the most experienced swimmers in the entire field. This adds some excitement to the US National Championships in the post-Olympic year. With Ledecky back and better than ever, we should all be on World Record watch when she enters the water in Indy. 

The Challengers: Fighting Fiercely for Second-Best

Barring an astronomical situation like a disqualification, Ledecky could add 15 seconds in this race and still find herself on the World Championship roster. Thus, there’s going to be a fierce battle for the second spot brewing between a few key names. 

NCAA Speed on Full Display

Jillian Cox finished 3rd at the US Olympic Trials in this event behind Ledecky and Paige Madden. While Ledecky has been active this season, Madden competed at the 2024 SC World Championships last December and hasn’t competed in any meets since then. Cox, who just wrapped up her freshman season in the NCAA representing Texas seems primed to fill-in that gap. 

Jillian Cox (photo: Jack Spitser)

At the 2025 NCAA Championships in March, Cox threw down veteran-level performances, claiming titles in both the 500 freestyle (4:31.58) and 1650 freestyle (15:33.54) to take down loaded fields in both events. She then followed up with a strong showing at the PSS stop in Fort Lauderdale, taking second to Ledecky in the 800 freestyle (8:23.58) and throwing down a best time en route to a runner-up finish in the 1500 freestyle (16:04.13). Both times currently sit 2nd in the country this season behind Ledecky, making her the favorite for a Worlds spot.

No stranger to the international stage, Cox also represented the US at the 2023 World Championships, finishing 6th with her best time of 8:19.73. While she will likely have to nearly match that time to contest with the field in Indy, the training at Texas seems to be taking Cox to new levels, meaning she could have a big swim in-store. 

Another NCAA swimmer to watch out for will be Cox’s Texas teammate Kate Hurst. Another Olympic Trials finalist, Hurst finished 6th in this event last summer with a personal best of 8:28.92, a time that she nearly matched in Fort Lauderdale (8:30.35). While Hurst didn’t have the best NCAA performance, only finishing 10th in the 1650 (15:54.37), she has traditionally been better in the LCM pool and has already displayed some speed this season. With the field open for the taking, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see two Longhorns in the final. 

Likewise, it wouldn’t be a huge surprise to see multiple Virginia Cavaliers in the final as both Cavan Gormsen and Katie Grimes often contest this event. Gormsen has been knocking on the door of a long course breakout for several years, making the A-final in this event at both the 2022 and 2023 US National Championships. Her best time of 8:34.38 would put her in contention for a spot in this year’s final. Grimes is almost the opposite story. The youngest member of the 2021 US Olympic Team, she finished 4th in this event at the Tokyo Olympics at only 15-years-old, setting a best time of 8:17.05 in prelims. Since then however, Grimes has struggled to match her 2021 performance, electing to focus more on the 400 IM and open water events instead. While her focus paid off with a silver medal in the 400 IM in Paris, Grimes seems to be making a push to add the 800 back to her repertoire under her new coach Todd DeSorbo. She recently competed in the event at the Fort Lauderdale meet, swimming a 8:40.47. While that time likely won’t earn a roster spot, Grimes shouldn’t be counted out given her history in the event. 

Florida’s Michaela Mattes is another name to watch. Mattes had a big showing in this event in Fort Lauderdale, throwing down a personal best of 8:34.76 to take 5th in a crowded field. Prior to that time, she hadn’t set a personal best in the event since the 2022 US International Team Trials. With the mental barrier of a best time out of the way, Mattes might be in for a big swim. Having represented the USA at multiple junior-level meets, she could find herself in the position for a senior-level roster. 

It’s worth noting that former Stanford star Aurora Roghair likely would’ve been in the top 8 here, possibly even challenging for a spot on the Worlds roster. However, after the NCAA season ended, Roghair announced her retirement from the sport. Like Roghair, Rachel Stege also announced her retirement recently, taking her out from this competition. While long-time distance star Ashley Twichell hasn’t formally announced her retirement, she hasn’t competed since making the finals of this event at the 2024 US Olympic Trials, leaving her an unlikely competitor here.

Next-Gen Speed Hits the Pool

As is the case with every post-Olympic year, this year’s National Championships could see an influx of youth as retirements and post-Olympic-hiatuses leave openings along the way. 

Claire Weinstein (photo: Jack Spitser)

Sandpiper’s Claire Weinstein is no stranger to this, as she was one of the swimmers who took advantage of this phenomenon in 2022. Since then, Weinstein has become a staple on the USA’s 200 freestyle roster, contesting the event individually in Paris and winning a silver medal as a member of the 4×200 freestyle relay. However, she has gradually extended her reach into the longer-distance freestyle events over the past few years. In 2023, Weinstein just missed qualifying for the World Championships in the event, swimming a 8:21.00 to narrowly finish 3rd behind Ledecky and Cox. She also finished 7th in this event at the US Olympic Trials last summer with a 8:29.80. This season, Cox has already bettered her time from Trials, posting a 8:26.06 in Fort Lauderdale to rank 3rd in the country this season. If she puts some more focus on the event, Weinstein will certainly be in the conversation for a spot. 

Aside from the more-experienced Weinstein, 16-year-old Kayla Han and 17-year-old Kennedi Dobson also rank in the top-10 nationally this season. Han has been on the national radar for several years now, first making-waves as the youngest swimmer to qualify for the US Olympic Trials back in 2021 at just 12-years-old. The 2023 World Junior Champion in the 800 freestyle, Han holds a best time of 8:29.66 from that meet. While that time likely wouldn’t make it through to Worlds with the depth of this field, Han is still young and hasn’t dropped time since 2023, meaning she could be in for a big swim. Dobson is a great example of that. At the 2024 US Olympic Trials, she finished 23rd overall in this event with a personal best time of 8:44.51. Then, just a few weeks later at the Eastern Zone Championships, she knocked nearly 7 seconds off of that mark with a 8:37.92, which would’ve finished 12th at Trials. This season, Dobson has already been faster than her Trials time, swimming a 8:42.00 at a local meet, lining herself up for a strong performance on the national stage. 

The Verdict

As previously mentioned, even with the influx of youth, this should be Katie Ledecky’s race to lose. Nobody in this field has even breathed within 25 meters of her 8:04 mark. However, the race for 2nd could be a lot more intriguing. Given her dominant NCAA performances, Cox seems to be the favorite for the second spot on the World’s roster. However, it could play out similar to 2023 with Weinstein (or another competitor) chasing her all the way to the wall. If Madden makes an appearance, the race could be even more interesting. However, for now, we will eliminate her from the conversation due to her lack of recent competition. 

SwimSwam’s Picks:

Darkhorse Pick: Mila Nikanorov (Ohio State) – Before arriving at Ohio State last fall, Nikanorov made a splash at Olympic Trials, coming in 9th overall in the 800 free (8:35.36) to just miss the final. A few weeks later, Nikanorov improved her best time in the event, swimming a 8:33.00. Following up on her performances, Nikanorov had a strong first season in the NCAA, dropping 8 seconds off of her personal best in the mile to finish 2nd at the Big Ten Championship (15:50.54), eventually finishing 7th at NCAAs in the same event. While she hasn’t contested this event in the LCM pool yet this season, Nikanorov has a strong chance to improve her best time and make an appearance in the final at Nationals.