Not to be overlooked in this performance was Leah Smith. Katie Ledecky, the world record holder, finished first in 3:58.98.
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Virginia rising senior Leah Smith had a tremendous night of swimming on Monday night by posting a personal record and the second-highest fastest time in the world this year in the 400m free at 4:00.65.
“I’m probably more pumped about her race than mine”, Ledecky, 19, told the New York Times about Smith.
Kevin Cordeswon the 100 breaststroke and will be headed to his first Olympics, as will second-place finisher Cody Miller.
The runner-up was happy to simply be near Ledecky by the end of the race.
Smith will be heading to her first Olympics. “My goal wasn’t really to stay with her because that would be stupid”. There were 14,032 fans roaring in the CenturyLink Center like Nebraska was playing football, watching Ledecky rocket off to a spectacular start. “She has worked for that swim every day she has showed up to the pool”.
Maria Carrillo grad Maya DiRado, who already has punched a ticket to the Olympics in Rio with her convincing victory in the 400-meter individual medley final on Sunday, had the day off Monday and resumes her quest for a second trials gold today in the 200-meter IM. “Rio!'” said Ledecky, a favorite in two other freestyle races to come.
But the world champion had gone out too fast. “The question is if it is too hard, and only she knows that”.
Meyer exerted a massive influence on her heir apparent, though Ledecky was wholly unaware of it until they met in 2014.
However, Ledecky may not go almost as unchallenged in this event.
If she was allowed, Ledecky could finish a race, get out of the pool and polish off a sandwich.
Michael Phelps checks his time after his heat in the men’s 200-meter butterfly preliminaries at the U.S. Olympic swimming trials, Tuesday, June 28, 2016, in Omaha, Neb. The rare sight of anyone near Ledecky clearly was creating optical illusions. “I can look and see how far I’ve come or that I just barely missed it. You can look at it from both angles”.
Like Phelps, Katie Ledecky had an easy swim in reaching the semis of the 200 freestyle in pursuit of a second event for the Rio Games.
“When I watch her swim, it brings back so many memories”, Meyer said. “It felt like the longest morning of my life”.
IMPROVING OVER 2012: This week marks the third Olympic trials for Hannis and the second for Lehane.
She will be joined in the crucial race by 33-year-old Natalie Coughlin, a 12-time Olympic medallist, along with Olivia Smoliga, who recorded the fastest time as she clocked 59.16sec.
“Everybody always says that (I) never go faster and she’ll never beat her time from the morning”, Smith said. The men’s 200-meter freestyle and 100-meter backstroke, as well as the women’s 100-meter breaststroke and 100-meter backstroke events will have their finals on Tuesday on top of several semifinals and prelims.
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Since upsetting Britain’s Rebecca Adlington in the 800 freestyle at the 2012 London Games in her first global competition, Ledecky has held a python’s grip on the women’s distances.
