Katie Ledecky Enters 100/200/800 Free, 400 IM at U.S. Nationals

2022 Phillips 66 U.S. Nationals

USA Swimming has released the pre-scratch psych sheets for 2022 U.S. Nationals, which means that we’re getting our first look at what the stars of the meet are planning to swim. As this meet falls only a month after Worlds, there are some Worlds swimmers who are bypassing the meet, but there are also those who are taking the opportunity to enter some events they don’t usually swim.

Katie Ledecky is one of the swimmers taking full advantage of that opportunity. After a dominant World Championships, she teased that she’d swim some “fun events” at U.S Nationals. She followed through, as she’s slated to swim the 100, 200, and 800 free, along with the 400 IM. She’s the first seed in the 200 and 800 free, second in the 400 IM, and eighth in the 100 free.

Ledecky’s Nationals Schedule

Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5
Prelims 100 Free 200 Free 400 IM Off Off
Finals 100 Free

800 Free

200 Free 400 IM Off Off

With this front-loaded schedule, Ledecky will finish her meet on Day 3. The fastest heat of the women’s 800 free swims with the finals session on Day 1.

The 100 free and 400 IM aren’t typical events on her schedule, but she’s actually raced both already this season. At the San Antonio Pro Series, she opted out of the 800 and 1500 for a lighter load with the 100, 200, and 400 free. There, she swam 54.72 in prelims, a season-best. She ended up fourth in 54.93 behind Worlds teammates Claire CurzanErika Brown, and Natalie Hinds.

In February at Orlando Sectionals, she popped a 4:39.68 in the 400 IM. That’s the fastest she’s been in that event since January 2019, and is only a second-and-a-half off the best she set in April 2017.

She’ll also get another crack at the 200 free, which she won at International Team Trials but ended up removing from her Worlds event lineup prior to the meet. In Budapest, she won four gold medals to become the most decorated female swimmer in World Championships history and was named the Female Swimmer of the Meet.

With the big international championships out of the way, this will likely be a more relaxed meet for Ledecky. She’s been dropping some of her fastest times in years since she moved to train in Florida — will we see her break any U.S Open or Championship records in Irvine?

In This Story

8
Leave a Reply

Subscribe
Notify of

8 Comments
newest
oldest most voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
UCswim
1 year ago

800 Free and 400 IM are fun?!?!? 🙂

kwrb77
1 year ago

Wonder why the 800 again

RMS
Reply to  kwrb77
1 year ago

Because she’s publicly stated it’s her favorite event. Might as well race your favorite event after all the training you do.

Becky D
Reply to  kwrb77
1 year ago

Think of the 100 and 400 IM as test points, with the 800 used as the control.

Owlmando
1 year ago

Dude, nice!

TheMainMane
Reply to  Owlmando
1 year ago

NO!

Last edited 1 year ago by TheMainMane
Owlmando
Reply to  TheMainMane
1 year ago

Why not

cynthia curran
Reply to  Owlmando
1 year ago

There are no swimming pools, Orange Groves for miles and dated Cars. Your next stop the Twilight Zone,

About Sophie Kaufman

Sophie Kaufman

Sophie grew up in Boston, Massachusetts, which means yes, she does root for the Bruins, but try not to hold that against her. At 9, she joined her local club team because her best friend convinced her it would be fun. Shoulder surgery ended her competitive swimming days long ago, …

Read More »