Katie Ledecky Is Entered at the Florida Swimming Senior Champs in Yards Instead of Pro Swim

2024 Florida Swimming Spring Senior Championships

7-time Olympic gold medalist Katie Ledecky isn’t entered at next week’s Pro Swim Series meet in Westmont, Illinois, where most of her University of Florida post-grad teammates (Caeleb Dressel, Kieran Smith, Bobby Finke, Natalie Hinds) will be racing.

But that doesn’t necessarily mean that she won’t be swimming.

The 26-year-old Ledecky is entered in one event at the 2024 Florida Swimming Spring Senior Championships, the 1650 yard free, on Saturday evening, where she’s the top seed by almost two minutes.

This meet, which is dominated by high school aged swimmers, like Bolles 16-year-old Andy Kravchenko (43.66 in the 100 free), Lillian Nesty (49.38 in the 100 free), and Ethan Ekk (1:35.85 in the 200 free).

But a few of the Florida post-grads usually mix in to the field, and for the second-straight year that includes Ledecky.

Last year, she swam a new personal best, American Record, and US Open Record in the 1650 free, swimming 15:01.41. That too was her only swim of that meet, though last year that swim was done a week after swimming at the long course Westmont Pro Swim.

This year, the yards race will be her only early-March swim it appears.

A few other Florida alumni post-grads will be at the meet. 26-year-old Grant Sanders is the top seed in the 200 breaststroke in 1:56.64, 200 IM in 1:45.78; and 200 fly in 1:47.77; 23-year-old Mabel Zavaros is the top seed in the 400 IM (4:04.08), 500 free (4:39.28), and 200 back (1:53.14).

There’s still no guarantees that the Florida Senior Champs psych sheets, which are labeled as “preliminary,” are fully accurate: Bobby Finke is entered in both the Florida Senior Championships and the Pro Swim Series in Westmont, which are the same weekend.

 

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Bobbi Vasquez
8 months ago

I would love to see her swim 🏊.

Seth
8 months ago

Too bad I don’t live in Florida. I would try to get LSC times and enter this meet to see Ledecky.

Hank
8 months ago

Is this because she is in heavy training (not that she ever isn’t) but perhaps even heavier than normal training for her? She doesn’t want to disrupt the training cycle and/or risk flying to Chicago in the winter and getting some illness?

Aquajosh
Reply to  Hank
8 months ago

1. She has a solid chance of breaking into the 14s, which would be historic, and talked about for years. Plus, it would be a good gauge as to where she’s at compared to last year.
2. She can inspire so many kids “I got to swim against Katie Ledecky!” and drive attendance to the meet.
3. She can do all that with a 45-minute drive from her house, which allows her to sleep in her own bed, eat her own meals, and treat it as a quality set practice.

Andy
Reply to  Aquajosh
8 months ago

I would like to see a sub-15 but moreover I’d like to see her go for sub-15 for 1500 in short course.

Georgia Rambler
Reply to  Hank
8 months ago

My thinking she’s prety busy with her new sponsor Athleta in her spare time. It will be complicated as TYR also sells workout gear. Probably couldn’t take the time to get to Chcago.

Curious George
Reply to  Hank
8 months ago

Very good point!

chickenlamp
8 months ago

I hope there’s video of that 1650…would be amazing to see a sub-15. And lol at Bobby being only the 55th seed in the 1000 y free (with his LCM 800 time)

Swimswam follower
Reply to  chickenlamp
8 months ago

It would be great if he were her lap counter.

FLMamaof3
Reply to  chickenlamp
8 months ago

Visit the FAST YouTube page. They stream every meet. It’s an amazing facility.

Mr Piano
8 months ago

Imagine being the favorite to win the state title this year and then you see Katie Ledecky entered in your event.

X women
Reply to  Mr Piano
8 months ago

Mr Piano. I always disliked when older athletes entered senior state meets! It is possibly the only time a kid in high school could medal so then comes an Olympic swimmer in to dash the kids dreams. There should be a rule against Olympic athlete swimmers competing at senior meets

Georgia Rambler
Reply to  Braden Keith
8 months ago

You’e not just talking about any Olympic swimmer here, imagine she hopes to get under 15 minutes not to beat some kid ot of a medal. Mine would have been overf the moon..

FLMamaof3
Reply to  Braden Keith
8 months ago

Not true…unless they (Bobby Finke is entered in 4 events) scratch finals that’s possibly taking a spot away from a high schooler who has worked all year for this meet. I know a lot of kids aren’t happy about this. They changed the format this year which the athletes were against and now these pro swimmers coming too. They all just swam at Sectionals too.

ScovaNotiaSwimmer
8 months ago

What’s the deal with Ethan Ekk? He’s a Stealth Canadian? He’s in the top 10 for a few events on the Canadian rankings this season. Will he be at Trials?

He’s probably a bit too young to make the Paris team but maybe he could be a player for Canada in 2028.

bob
Reply to  ScovaNotiaSwimmer
8 months ago

junior pan pacs?

ScovaNotiaSwimmer
Reply to  bob
8 months ago

I forgot that meet was happening this year but yeah!

Tanner-Garapick-Oleksiak-McIntosh
Reply to  ScovaNotiaSwimmer
8 months ago

Seems like quite the family of competitive swimmers with Ethan and his two siblings.

Curious George
Reply to  ScovaNotiaSwimmer
8 months ago

He might go to trials and get selected for the Jr. Team, but who knows!

Boknows34
8 months ago

“The top seed by almost two minutes.”

Steve Nolan
Reply to  Boknows34
8 months ago

She should just start two minutes after everyone

Tell me you wouldn’t watch it

Boknows34
Reply to  Steve Nolan
8 months ago

I definitely would.

Swimfan27
8 months ago

PLEASE break 15:00

Andy
Reply to  Swimfan27
8 months ago

Please do it in 1500 SC

About Braden Keith

Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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