Ledecky on Indy Performances: “It’s not something that should surprise me” (Video)

Reported by James Sutherland.

2018 INDIANAPOLIS PRO SWIM SERIES

WOMEN’S 400 FREE FINAL

  1. Katie Ledecky, STAN, 3:57.94
  2. Leah Smith, FORD, 4:06.67
  3. Katie Drabot, UN, 4:08.29

Katie Ledecky was dominant in the women’s 400 final as expected, blitzing her way to a time of 3:57.94, which is the 2nd fastest in history. She breaks her own U.S. Open Record of 3:58.44, and now owns the ten fastest swims in history, knocking Federica Pellegrini‘s 3:59.15 from 2009 into 11th. Her world record stands at 3:56.46 from the 2016 Olympics.

Leah Smith had a rough mile last night, but came back with two solid 400s today, earning the runner-up position in a time of 4:06.67. Katie Drabot negative split the race to overtake Hali Flickinger late and claim 3rd in 4:08.29, with Flickinger 4th in 4:08.61. This was a quick turnarund for Drabot who swam the 100 fly at the beginning of the session. Erica Sullivan was 5th in 4:12.01, while Ally McHugh won the B-final in 4:11.41.

WOMEN’S 100 FREE FINAL

  1. Taylor Ruck, HPCO, 53.42
  2. Simone Manuel, STAN, 53.84
  3. Margo Geer, MVN, 54.40

Taylor Ruck went head-to-head with reigning world champion Simone Manuel and didn’t flinch, taking the lead early and not giving an inch. Ruck flipped 1st in 25.89, and only gave up .01 to Manuel coming back as she won by over four tenths in 53.42. Manuel closed in 27.52 to overtake Margo Geer and take 2nd in 53.84, with Geer 3rd in 54.40.

Mallory Comerford (54.51), Katie Ledecky (54.56) and Kayla Sanchez (54.62) all joined Ruck and Manuel by coming back sub-28 to finish 4th, 5th and 6th. Allison Schmitt won the B-final in 55.13.

In This Story

15
Leave a Reply

Subscribe
Notify of

15 Comments
newest
oldest most voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
tea rex
6 years ago

Does she practice with the men? Can anyone on the women’s team even make the same intervals as her?

Dudeman
Reply to  tea rex
6 years ago

I think even the men have difficulty training with her. Conor Dwyer stated a couple years ago that she would beat guys at the OTC during pace/threshold sets.

Baker-King-Worrell-Manuel
Reply to  tea rex
6 years ago

Katie Ledecky Dominates Men in Swim Practice: Gold Medal Minute presented by SwimOutlet.com

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePD-8aj9ruY

CraigH
Reply to  tea rex
6 years ago

She has been doing limited training with some of the men.

Jim C
6 years ago

If you exclude the Olympic year of 2016, when there was no important 1500 for women, both swims would be WR. Earlier I mentioned my conversion rule for distance women. Add 10s, multiply by distance ratio, and subtract 10s. This rule makes a 15:20.48 equivalent to a 3:58.13 which is very close to the time she swam in the 400.

Yozhik
6 years ago

I don’t know when the decision of going pro was made. I don’t know when Katie started to prepare for this meet and if she was rested or tapered for it and if it was a part of her business plan compiled long time ago. I don’t know if she paid much attention to the NCAA finals and was properly tapered for it saving the full taper for this meet. I don’t know. But there is some obvious difference between what has been observed during 2017 season and this meet. Prior her college swimming career Katie was known as a swimmer who benefits most from tapering showing significant improvement at major meets. At 2017 NCAA finals, at 2017 WC and… Read more »

AvidSwimFan
Reply to  Yozhik
6 years ago

I don’t claim to have answers to your questions, but Lia Neal commented on her WR 1500 on Twitter about them being in serious training leading me to believe she’s not tapered for this meet.
First, I think Ledecky has ruined herself for so many viewers because she always outdoes herself every time she gets in the pool for competitions. We as viewers have to remember that not every swim can be record breaking.
I do think she’s better at LCM than yards. I don’t think she’s that manipulative to lose at worlds intentionally in preparation for going pro. It just doesn’t fit with the Ledecky I have come to admire who gives her best at every competition.… Read more »

Sum Ting Wong
Reply to  Yozhik
6 years ago

She always goes well in these May meets . I think she went 8 06 one year.
All in all the girls are closer to their pbs than the men .

Jim C
Reply to  Sum Ting Wong
6 years ago

Her 8 06 was in January 2016 wen she was taking a year off for Rio.

Sum Ting Wong
Reply to  Jim C
6 years ago

So no surprise then . I do recall she went to altirude camp just prior . My point is that she can go fast outside of big comps & often in April May ..

Ol' Longhorn
Reply to  Yozhik
6 years ago

Name a dominant Olympian (on the level of multiple golds in an Olympiad) who didn’t have an off year pre-or mid-Olympic cycle. If the male GOAT can have a post-Olympic let down, so can the female GOAT. All of the greats know it’s going to be a major grind the next two years. None choose to make it a four year grind. I’m sure she’s a bit rested, just like Kalisz. And maybe now her training is more individualized instead of team-based.

Baker-King-Worrell-Manuel
Reply to  Ol' Longhorn
6 years ago

Janet Evans on Katie Ledecky’s Career on The Morning Swim Show

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pivXUhLwfbo

4:51

Janet Evans knows best.

Swimmer37
Reply to  Yozhik
6 years ago

Katie said this week that she wasn’t rested and has been training hard the last 6 weeks. She joked, “I guess I don’t need to taper ever again.” Here’s what she said regarding that: “I need my confidence to be skyrocketing to swim fast. It’s not really about the rest for me, it’s about how I feel my training’s been. I think if that means I don’t rest as much and keep working hard through some of these meets, that’s the way to go.”

Yozhik
6 years ago

Yes, it was kind of weird to have six 3:58 results to have 3:56 personal best and to have none 3:57

Caeleb Dressel Will Win 9 Gold Medals in Tokyo
6 years ago

Wow

About Coleman Hodges

Coleman Hodges

Coleman started his journey in the water at age 1, and although he actually has no memory of that, something must have stuck. A Missouri native, he joined the Columbia Swim Club at age 9, where he is still remembered for his stylish dragon swim trunks. After giving up on …

Read More »