UPDATE: Katie Ledecky Still Resting, Has Not Yet Gotten Back Into the Water

2019 FINA WORLD AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS

World record-holder Katie Ledecky has woken up this morning in Gwangju not yet feeling better and has yet to return to the pool.

“Katie woke up this morning not feeling any better,” said a USA Swimming spokesperson. “Medical staff continue to work with her and to monitor her. She is resting and has not yet had the opportunity to get back in the water.”

Her coach Greg Meehan, also the head women’s coach at this meet for Team USA, had told The New York Times yesterday that team doctors had not made an official diagnosis and that getting her back in the meet “at some point’” would be “an ideal scenario.”

It appears she is not yet ready to get back into the pool for any activity. Her next scheduled event is the 4×200 free relay prelims on Thursday, and then the 800 free prelims are Friday morning.

Yesterday, news broke that Ledecky, the reigning Olympic and World Champion in the 400 and 800 free, was dropping out of the 200 free prelims. USA Swimming said that Ledecky would be withdrawing from the 200 free on “medical grounds” and that the team would determine her participation in the 1500 free final later in the day. A couple of hours later, Ledecky was announced out of the 1500 free final, an event in which she was the top seed from prelims and was expected to defend her world title.

“Katie has not been feeling well since arriving to Gwangju on July 17th,” said USA Swimming’s Lindsay Mintenko when Ledecky had first been pulled from the 200 free. “These precautionary measures are being taken to ensure her wellbeing and proper recovery and to allow her to focus her energy on an abbreviated schedule.”

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Heisenberg
4 years ago

I’m a huge fan of Katie but it must be admitted that it is at the very least SLIGHTLY suspicious that she falls ill immediately after losing for the first time in years in the 400. I’m sure it is legit but….curious nonetheless.

Admin
Reply to  Heisenberg
4 years ago

Yeah, that’s a reach. Sure, maybe she drops her weakest event, the 200 free, knowing she doesn’t have the speed this week, resting for the 1500. But, no way she drops the 1500 because she lost the 400. Makes absolutely zero sense. Nothing she’s done in her history indicates that she would quit like that. Inane accusation.

Swimmom
Reply to  Heisenberg
4 years ago

Maybe she wasn’t feeling well going into the 400…

Jim C
Reply to  Heisenberg
4 years ago

Suppose she was not feeling that good when she swam the 400, but she swam it anyway. Later things got worse so she dropped first the 200 and then the 1500. I’ve been sick and then got sicker. It happens. I’m also a huge fan of Katie and I too find what you say at least Slightly suspicious, and I also think there is a Slight chance I will be hit not by one but by two separate meteors coming from different directions the next time I go out shopping.

Swimmer
4 years ago

Hopefully not mono.

Jim C
Reply to  Swimmer
4 years ago

Hopefully it is not very serious, but let’s not hope it’s not mono unless we also hope it is also nothing more serious than mono.

Swimmer
4 years ago

Maybe mono??

Swimmer
4 years ago

Mono??

Jim C
4 years ago

It looks like the kind of people who are soccer fans in other countries are swim fans in Australia.

DrSwimPhil
4 years ago

FINA passed around an “official notice” stating diarrhea was going around and to “wash your hands and drink bottled water” to prevent it…

Nojajo
4 years ago

She is on the bus going to pool

Blastman
4 years ago

Shows she’s human;….. or the Russians made her sick.
Either way – get well soon, Her overall health is more important than an abbreviated schedule.

About Karl Ortegon

Karl Ortegon

Karl Ortegon studied sociology at Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT, graduating in May of 2018. He began swimming on a club team in first grade and swam four years for Wesleyan.

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