Stanford signee Katie Ledecky set a World Championship record Sunday in the 400-meter freestyle to win the event on the first night of swimming competition at the 2015 FINA World Championships.
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United States’ Katie Ledecky holds her gold medal after winning the women’s 400m freestyle f …
Sun, the five-times world champion, clocked three minutes 42.58 seconds to take gold as the Chinese powerhouse overtook Britain’s James Guy in the closing stages.
He courted controversy last year after it emerged he had served a three-month doping ban from the Chinese swimming authorities for taking a banned stimulant. And when she doesn’t match or surpass it – as on Sunday evening, when her winning time of 3 minutes 59.13 seconds, almost four seconds better than runner-up Sharon Van Rouwendaal of the Netherlands, was merely the third-fastest in history, behind only her world-record swims of last summer – the only thing anyone wants to know is, “Why not?” “It is true that I’m not under that much pressure as I have already booked my place in Rio, but I’m still expecting a lot from myself”. I probably went out too fast, ” Ledecky said. Over the back half of the race, where Ledecky is typically strongest, the early speed she showed took a toll, the five-time world champion continually falling off what was needed to set another global standard.
Frank Busch, USA Swimming’s national team director, for the most part pinned the loss on the slow heat – “I don’t think it was from lack of effort”, he said – but also acknowledged the federation might re-examine its team selection process.
In the women’s 200m individual medley semifinals, Hungarian defending World champion Katinka Hosszu broke her European record with a 2:06.84, which was.
Sun said he put off surgery for injuries to his hand and shoulder so he could compete at the worlds.
Connor Jaeger of the United States, the bronze medalist two years ago in Barcelona, finished fourth in 3:44.81.
Ledecky is scheduled to round out the rest of her week with the 200m freestyle finals on Wednesday, the 4x200m freestyle relay finals on Thursday and the 800m freestyle on Saturday. Mehdy Metella, Florent Manaudou, Fabien Gilot and Jeremy Stravius took the lead on the third lap and hung on by 0.45 for gold.
“I feel good, I’m happy with the time and I’m in the best shape I have been in for a while”, said the 23-year-old Olympic, world and Commonwealth 200m champion.
Cheered by the near-sellout home crowd, Russia’s team of Andrey Grechin, Nikita Lobintsev, Vladimir Morozov and Alexander Sukhorukov touched second in 3:11.19.
Australia’s Mack Horton, however, failed to make the final.
“It was a hard lesson”, he said, “but it was a lesson learned”.
Australia won the womens 4×100 free relay in a championship-record time of 3:31.48.
In the women’s 100m butterfly, Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrum, the defending champion, qualified fasted for the semi-finals.
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Four particular person occasions in eight days for every of them and that is not together with any relays, making them the busiest Americans within the water at Kazan Arena.
