In First Race In A Year, Katie Ledecky Swims World Leading 1500 Free – 15:42.92

PRO SWIM SERIES – SAN ANTONIO (#2)

Katie Ledecky swam to victory in the 1500 freestyle on day 1 of the 2021 Pro Swim Series stop in San Antonio. Ledecky was the only sub-16:00 swim in the 14-woman field, hitting a 15:42.92 to trails her best time and world record of 15:20.48 by 22 seconds.

Women’s 1500 Freestyle – Timed Final

Final Results:

  1. Katie Ledecky – 15:42.92
  2.  Ashley Twitchell – 16:04.29
  3.  Erica Sullivan – 16:07.66
  4.  Haley Anderson – 16:11.73
  5.  Leah Smith – 16:11.80
  6.  Ally McHugh – 16:20.27
  7.  Katie Grimes – 16:20.35
  8.  co- 16:21.22
  9. Paige Kuwata – 16:28.18
  10. Abby Dunford – 16:39.77
  11. Caroline Pennington – 16:47.08
  12. Sophia Karras – 16:53.07
  13. Rachel Stege – 17:00.56
  14. Ayumi Macias Alba – 17:15.31

While Ledecky’s swim tonight was of world-class caliber it was actually only her 13th fastest ever performance in the event. She was just a touch slower than her 2015 swim of 15:42.23 that she hit in Mesa and just ahead of the 15:45.59 that she hit in Knoxville.

Ledecky hasn’t raced the event in almost exactly a year with her last long course 1500 occurring on March 3, 2020, when she hit a 15:29.51. That swim for Ledecky was at the Des Moines stop of the 2020 Pro Swim Series which would end up being one of the world’s last major meets before COVID-19 lockdowns shut down competition for months.

Katie Ledecky‘s Fastest Long Course 1500 Freestyles

15:20.48 16 May 2018 Indianapolis
15:25.48 4 Aug 2015 Kazan
15:27.71 3 Aug 2015 Kazan
15:28.36 24 Aug 2014 Gold Coast
15:29.51 4 Mar 2020 Des Moines
15:31.82 25 Jul 2017 Budapest
15:34.23 19 Jun 2014 Shenandoah
15:35.65 1 Jun 2017 Santa Clara
15:35.98 7 Dec 2019 Atlanta
15:36.53 30 Jul 2013 Barcelona
15:38.97 12 Aug 2018 Tokyo
15:42.23 15 Apr 2015 Mesa
15:42.92 3 Mar 2020 San Antonio
15:45.59 12 Jan 2019 Knoxville

Along with her 15:29.51 from a year ago, Ledecky’s current world record in the event occurred at a Pro Swim Series meets. Ledecky set the current world record 3 years ago at the Indianapolis stop of the 2018 Pro Swim Series swimming in her first-ever race as a professional swimmer.

Comparative Splits:

2018 World Record March 3, 2020
50m 28.09 28.29
100m 58.50 58.69
150m 1:29.26 1:29.83
200m 2:00.25 2:00.99
250m 2:31.11 2:32.36
300m 3:02.50 3:03.60
350m 3:33.71 3:35.06
400m 4:04.88 4:06.43
450m 4:35.86 4:37.74
500m 5:06.82 5:08.83
550m 5:37.52 5:40.03
600m 6:08.29 6:11.39
650m 6:39.28 6:42.93
700m 7:10.13 7:14.26
750m 7:40.88 7:45.82
800m 8:11.70 8:17.20
850m 8:42.52 8:48.80
900m 9:13.20 9:20.51
950m 9:43.96 9:52.15
1000m 10:14.83 10:23.78
1050m 10:45.43 10:55.86
1100m 11:16.15 11:27.96
1150m 11:47.05 12:00.36
1200m 12:17.94 12:32.33
1250m 12:48.62 13:04.50
1300m 13:19.43 13:36.35
1350m 13:50.27 14:08.57
1400m 14:20.71 14:40.63
1450m 14:51.26 15:12.56
1500m 15:20.48 15:42.92

With the swim Ledecky earned the top spot on the world rankings this season, getting under Jianjihe Wang‘s previous leading time of 15:45.92. According to the FINA database, Ledecky, Ashley Twitchell, Erica Sullivan, Haley Anderson, and Leah Smith all swam fast enough tonight to penetrate the top-15 worldwide ranking in the women’s 1500 between September 1, 2020, and today.

2020 – 2021 Women’s LC 1500 Freestyle Rankings

  1. Katie Ledecky (USA) – 15:42.92
  2. Jianjiahe Wang (China) – 15:45.59
  3. Anastasiia Kirpichnikova (Russia) – 15:53.18
  4. Kareena Lee (Australia) – 16:01.02
  5. Merve Tuncel (Turkey) – 16:03.23
  6. Ashley Twitchell (USA) – 16:04.29
  7. Mireia Belmonte (Spain) – 16:05.02
  8. Lani Pallister (Australia) – 16:05.46
  9. Erica Sullivan – (USA) 16:07.66
  10. Martina Rite Caramignoli (Italy) – 16:07.73
  11. Jimena Perez (Spain) – 16:08.70
  12. Kiah Melverton (Australia) – 16:11.59
  13. Haley Anderson (USA) – 16:11.73
  14.  Leah Smith (USA) – 16:11.80
  15. Ally McHugh (USA) – 16:12.87

Ledecky is expected to be back in the racing pool a number of times this week as she is entered to swim the 50, 100, 200, 400, and 800 freestyles. Ledecky is the top seed in both the 200, 400, 800 with a 1:54.59, 3:59.28, and 8:10.70, respectively, and will go in as 15th seed in the 100 with a 55.17.

In This Story

3
Leave a Reply

Subscribe
Notify of

3 Comments
newest
oldest most voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
VA Steve
3 years ago

A headline worthy of the swim.

Awsi Dooger
3 years ago

March 3, 2021. In those two tables you’ve got today’s date as March 3, 2020

Cag
3 years ago

Your livestream link is broken