2026 PRO SWIM SERIES – AUSTIN
- January 14-17, 2026
- Austin, Texas
- Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center
- LCM (50 meters)
- Psych Sheet (updated)
- How to Watch
- Live Results
- Live Recaps
- Finals: Day 1
Women’s 1500 FREESTYLE — Fastest Heat
- World Record: 15:20.48 – Katie Ledecky, USA (2018)
- American Record: 15:20.48 – Katie Ledecky, USA (2018)
- US Open Record: 15:20.48 – Katie Ledecky, USA (2018)
- PSS Record: 15:20.48 – Katie Ledecky, USA (2018)
- World Jr Record: 15:28.36 – Katie Ledecky, USA (2014)
Pool Record: 16:15.56 – Kim Linehan
Top 8 Finishers
- Katie Ledecky (GSC) — 15:23.21
- Brinkleigh Hansen (SPA) — 16:31.31
- Becca Mann (TAC) — 15:35.09
- Brooke Travis (TAC) — 16:48.91
- Madalyn Petty (TRAC) — 16:56.50
- Lilliana Krstolic (LAKR) — 17:17.43
- McKennah Greer (LAC) — 17:40.34
- Mackenzie Corbin (LAC) — 17:56.48
Katie Ledecky blasted a 15:23.21 1500 freestyle to kick off finals at the Pro Series in Austin, Texas. That marked the #2 performance all-time, and less than three seconds off her World Record from 2018.
Split Comparison
| World Record |
Pro Series – Austin
|
|||
| Distance | 100 Split | Cumulative | 100 Split | Cumulative |
| 100 | 58.5 | 58.50 | 58.95 | 58.95 |
| 200 | 1:01.75 | 2:00.25 | 1:01.80 | 2:00.75 |
| 300 | 1:02.25 | 3:02.50 | 1:01.98 | 3:02.73 |
| 400 | 1:02.38 | 4:04.88 | 1:02.31 | 4:05.04 |
| 500 | 1:01.94 | 5:06.82 | 1:02.42 | 5:07.46 |
| 600 | 1:01.47 | 6:08.29 | 1:01.94 | 6:09.40 |
| 700 | 1:01.84 | 7:10.13 | 1:02.06 | 7:11.46 |
| 800 | 1:01.57 | 8:11.70 | 1:01.63 | 8:13.09 |
| 900 | 1:01.50 | 9:13.20 | 1:01.65 | 9:14.74 |
| 1000 | 1:01.63 | 10:14.83 | 1:01.91 | 10:16.65 |
| 1100 | 1:01.32 | 11:16.15 | 1:01.65 | 11:18.30 |
| 1200 | 1:01.79 | 12:17.94 | 1:01.79 | 12:20.09 |
| 1300 | 1:01.49 | 13:19.43 | 1:01.47 | 13:21.56 |
| 1400 | 1:01.28 | 14:20.71 | 1:01.35 | 14:22.91 |
| 1500 | 0:59.77 | 15:20.48 | 1:00.30 | 15:23.21 |
Ledecky was just off World Record throughout the race but was only above 1:02 three times, only one more time than she was in her World Record swim.
With her swim tonight, Ledecky now holds the 12 fastest performances of all-time. She passed her performance from last year’s Pro Series in Fort Lauderdale.
Top Performances All-Time – Women’s 1500 Free
- Katie Ledecky — 15:20.48 — 2018 Pro Series – Indy
- Katie Ledecky — 15:23.21 — 2026 Pro Series – Austin
- Katie Ledecky — 15:24.51 — 2025 Pro Swim Series – Fort Lauderdale
- Katie Ledecky — 15:25.48 — 2015 World Championships
- Katie Ledecky — 15:26.27 — 2023 World Championships
- Katie Ledecky — 15:26.44 — 2025 World Championships
- Katie Ledecky — 15:27.71 — 2015 World Championships
- Katie Ledecky — 15:28.36 — 2014 Pan Pacific Championships
- Katie Ledecky — 15:29.51 — 2020 Pro Series – Des Moines
- Katie Ledecky — 15:29.64 — 2023 Phillips 66 National Championships
- Katie Ledecky — 15:30.02 — 2024 Olympic Games
- Katie Ledecky — 15:30.15 — 2022 World Championships
She should patent and sell her training regimen. Truly an icon.
What she has cannot be trained.
Don’t disagree completely, but I gotta believe that there are quite a few swimmers, world-class and otherwise, who could benefit by emulating her more (in the pool and out).
Katie “Katie Ledecky” Ledecky
How old was Kim Linehan’s pool record? Had to be from the 1980s and must have been the oldest pool record on the books. Kim was certainly damn impressive… but I am kind of surprised with all the high level meets that have been held in the TSC over the last 40 years that her record stood that long.
The question is this: will Katie’s pool record stand for another 40+ years?
(With the exceptional way UT maintains and reinvests in this pool, the tank should still be there in 2065 and beyond)
If I had to guess, it’s probably from 1978-1982. She left Sarasota Y at 15 in 1977 to swim with Paul Bergen at Longhorn (Tracy Caulkins and Inge de Bruijn’s coach).
She broke the WR with a 16:04 in 1979 (it stood until Janet Evans in 1987) and retired in 1984 after the Olympics. She was burned out.
KL’s level of talent, while GOATed isn’t unprecedented – we’ve had Phelps, Thorpe, Evans, Meagher, and now Summer.
Even her longevity isn’t unprecedented.
But the consistency accords those years… I don’t think anyone has come close. Even Sjostrom has changed events, and had up and down years.
What Katie is doing is completely uncharted. She’s beyond incredible.
“Even her longevity isn’t unprecedented.”
Who else beats (now) a 15th year at the very top?
When did ‘longevity’ become defined as being ranked consecutively at the very top?
Er….when it was exactly that? 🤷🏼♂️
Ok. Eff it.
My Son Is Also Called Bort:
What is longevity?
(I’ll wait.)
Then…What’s the definition?
always is the answer
how. Just how.
Undisputed GOAT
The overall Distance GOAT of USA Swimming. Both genders. Hands down.
I’d amend that to “overall Distance GOAT in swimming history. Both genders”. Can you think of another distance swimmer anywhere – not just the USA – who matches her record of dominance and longevity?
Yeah best distance pool swimmer, male or female, to grace our pools ever, she is an absolute swimming superstar that will leave a legacy for women and girls to aspire to for many generations to come 🙌👑. Can’t help but admire her.
Yep – that was my omission. I should have posted “overall” distance GOAT. Which she absolutely is.
Was Becca Mann’s time actually a 16:35? Still a great time, but it seems like it’s listed incorrectly (says 15:35).