SwimSwam Pulse is a recurring feature tracking and analyzing the results of our periodic A3 Performance Polls. You can cast your vote in our newest poll on the SwimSwam homepage, about halfway down the page on the right side.
Our most recent poll asked SwimSwam readers which swim from the Fort Lauderdale Pro Swim caught them off guard the most:
Question: Which performance in Fort Lauderdale surprised you the most?
RESULTS
- Ledecky – 800 free WR – 77.6%
- Ledecky – 400 free #2 of career – 8.8%
- G. Walsh – 100 fly WR – 7.5%
- Ledecky – 1500 free #2 all-time – 4.9%
- Other – 1.2%
- G. Walsh – 50 fly AR – 0.1%
The field in Fort Lauderdale was absolutely loaded, but despite the strong field, fans were ready for the onslaught of blistering performances we saw at the meet, particularly from Katie Ledecky and Gretchen Walsh on the women’s side.
Ledecky’s performances only got better last the meet went on. She posted the 2nd-fastest swim in history in the women’s 1500 free (15:24.51) on the opening night of racing, her fastest swim since setting the world record in 2018. The following day, she fired off a time of 3:56.81 in the 400 free, the 2nd-fastest swim of her career and quickest since clocking 3:56.46 nearly nine years prior at the Rio Olympics.
Those two performances set the stage for what was to come on Saturday night in the 800 free, as Ledecky stormed to a new world record of 8:04.12, erasing the longstanding mark of 8:04.79 she set at the 2016 Olympics.
In our latest poll asking SwimSwam readers which performance from Fort Lauderdale surprised them the most, Ledecky’s 800 free world record dominated the poll with 77.6% of votes, which checks out, given it was Ledecky’s first individual long course world record in seven years, despite the fact it came after two elite swims in the 400 and 1500 that indicated something big was coming in the 800.
Since 2020, Ledecky had only broken 8:10 in the 800 free four times prior to breaking the world record, with her closest swim coming in at 8:07.07 in 2023. At the Olympics last summer, she won gold in 8:11.04, more than six seconds slower than her swim in Fort Lauderdale.
Ledecky’s 400 free was a distant 2nd in the poll with 8.8% of votes, while Walsh’s world record in the 100 fly picked up 7.5% to top Ledecky’s 1500 free (4.9%).
Walsh’s swim was groundbreaking, as after lowering her own world record of 55.18 in the prelims in 55.09, she became the first woman in history under the 55-second barrier with a mindblowing 54.60 world record in the final.
It shows just how big of a breakthrough Ledecky’s 800 free was, and speaks to just how dominant Walsh has been of late in the 100 fly, that a historical moment in the sport with the first sub-55 swim ever only earned 7.5% of votes in the poll.
Below, vote in our new A3 Performance Poll, which asks: Who are you backing to win individual gold in Singapore this summer?
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The A3 Performance Poll is courtesy of A3 Performance, a SwimSwam partner.
us mens team rly full of khias :'(
The poll result is kind of silly. Katie’s 1500 was a surprise by 5-6 seconds or so, and her 3:56 stunned us all, even her. But I literally made a calendar reminder for myself titled “Ledecky WR watch” in anticipation of the 800 based on the first two results.
Did you anticipate Ledecky to break 800 free WR BEFORE the meet started?
As for the new poll, I question a number of male swimmers competing at the USA Swimming National Championships:
Dressel, C.
Fink, N.
Murphy, R.
Gretchen’s record may have been more impressive, but I think it says something that I wasn’t as surprised, She’s entering the phase of her LCM career that Ledecky had left awhile ago, that swims like that from her are almost expected now. She had been that way in SCY for years.
Ledecky I know I voted for the 800 but it was tough with the 400. She had been sub 3:58 three times in her career. The former 2016 WR of 3:56.46, then once in 2021 and once in 2018. Her head to head record against Titmus and McIntosh was on the downward trend. When Summer had what looked like a commanding lead with 100 to go, even with how… Read more »
Katie Ledecky is still posting Top 25 All-Time Performances.
End of discussion.
For the new poll, I’m surprised Hobson is leading the votes. No way everyone is off the Popovici hype train so quickly and on board the Hobson hype train. I’m not on it until I see Hobson actually drops a huge time in long course.
I’ll choose Urlando if Milak doesn’t swim/ is not in shape. Otherwise I’ll choose Casas.
Shaine Casas? What event?
I believe that Popovici has the higher ceiling for sure, but you can’t blame people picking Hobson after he was so close last year and took down Biederman’s SCM 200 free.