2017 WOMEN’S PAC-12 CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Wednesday, February 22 – Saturday, February 25
- Federal Way, WA (Pacific Time Zone)
- Defending Champion: USC (results)
- Live Results (also on Meet Mobile)
- Live Video
- Pac-12 Record Book
- Championship Central
Stanford freshman Katie Ledecky was set in her usual winning ways on night 2 at the 2017 Pac-12 Swimming and Diving Championships in Federal Way Washington. Ledecky obliterated the 500 free field, tearing through the water en route to a 4:25.15 victory. With that, she broke her own former NCAA, U.S. Open, and American Record of 4:26.46 from the Ohio State Invite in December.
Splits Comparison:
| Swimmer | 1st 100 | 2nd 100 | 3rd 100 | 4th 100 | 5th 100 | Final Time |
| Katie Ledecky (2017) | 51.32 | 53.83 | 53.93 | 53.6 | 52.47 | 4:25.15 |
| Katie Ledecky (2016) | 51.77 | 53.91 | 53.91 | 53.59 | 53.28 | 4:26.46 |
The biggest difference in Ledecky’s race came on the final 100, where she split a 52.47 compared to her 53.28 back in December. She was also out slightly faster, turning in 51.32 compared to her 51.77 in her previous record swim.
At the touch, Ledecky finished 10 seconds ahead of anyone else in the field, but fellow Cardinal freshman Katie Drabot put up one of the fastest times in the nation with a 4:35.69 for 2nd place. Cal’s Katie McLaughlin also had a lights out swim to take bronze in 4:36.04.
Ledecky now has each of the 10 fastest swims in history, with Leah Smith‘s 4:30.37 from the 2015 NCAA Championships breaking her streak as the 11th-best swim of all-time.
Top 10 Swims of All-Time
- Katie Ledecky, 4:25.15, 2017
- Katie Ledecky, 4:26.46, 2016
- Katie Ledecky, 4:26.58, 2015
- Katie Ledecky, 4:27.21, 2015
- Katie Ledecky, 4:27.54, 2016
- Katie Ledecky, 4:27.88, 2015
- Katie Ledecky, 4:28.17, 2015
- Katie Ledecky, 4:28.37, 2017 (prelims today)
- Katie Ledecky, 4:28.71, 2014
- Katie Ledecky, 4:29.54, 2014
- Leah Smith, 4:30.37, 2015
What is her weekly yardage during heavy training?
I would not be totally surprised if Ledecky swims under 4:30 again on Saturday – as a 1650 split. Her best 1000 was basically split 4:29/4:29
Her last 50
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5bLrY5_Pn8
She has never really swum fully tapered in yards as her focus was all about long course.
Maybe it’s the first time she will make a short course season with a clear taper meet. And the damages could be huge.
4.25 not tapered, that’s amazing.
But we are used to saying amazing about KL.
She was tapered at final meets of her high school career. Under 9 min record at 1000y was made then. You cannot beat Katie Hoff by more than 10seconds not being specially prepared for such a race. Please, be more careful with your statements if you are not sure.
If there is a “big meet” swimmer in existence today- it is Ledecky. Never, EVER doubt her. I would go as far as saying KL is more of a big meet swimmer than MP himself
When she went 4:26 as a HS senior in 2015, that was her big focus meet on the winter. I think it’s safe to say she was tapered for that. Moreover she has broken WORLD RECORDS many times without being at her focus meet (Austin last year; Woodlands, TX year before) — so take that into consideration too.
i know this is a wild thought, but imagine if KL breaks the 4:20 barrier before any other female breaks 4:30….she’s already closer than it looks (she’ll be 4:23 or better at NCAAs). obviously Leah Smith is looking good for that 4:30 mark but it’s still just incredible that this is even a remote possibility
Could be possible. Leah Smith essentially only has 2 more shots at it. I don’t see when she’ll swim a tapered yards meet in the near future. Katie on the other hand will have many more opportunities
Katie Ledecky doing Katie Ledecky things.
Consider that Peter Vanderkay still holds the men’s 500 freestyle record from 2008; in nearly a decade not one male has gone faster. Katie Ledecky has taken 5 seconds off the women’s world record in basically the past 2 years. She has moved the threshold of what women can do in the pool to an entirely new stratosphere.
I certainly don’t think she needs to be compared to men from a time standpoint…Though it is clear she can hold her own against all but the elite males of college swimming (I.e. NCAA qualifiers).
Agreed. She is changing the face of women’s swimming and it’s mind boggling how fast she is!! I may be crazy, but I think she has a legit shot at the 4:20 barrier in the coming years.
GOAT