LOS ANGELES — After being upset in the 200m, Katie Ledecky was back to winning ways at the 2023 US Swimming Championships in Indianapolis.
The seven-time Olympic champion won the 400m freestyle in Indy, but the US great knows she’ll need to do more to challenge for the title at the World Championships in Fukuoka, Japan, next month.
Seven-time Olympic gold medallist Caeleb Dressel failed to qualify for this month’s World Aquatics Championships in Japan.
Ledecky clocked 4:00.45 time, ahead of second place’s Bella Sims (4:03.25).
Sims came out fast, touching the wall first at the 100m mark.
But from there, it was all Ledecky, who had taken a lead she would not relinquish by the halfway mark. After 300m, Ledecky had stretched her lead to a full bodylength.
Despite the margin of victory, she was less than happy with her effort.
“It wasn’t great, but I’ll take it. There’s always things to learn from, so I’ll try to learn as much as I can and be better in a couple of weeks,” Ledecky said. “I just didn’t feel like I was in my rhythm right from the start.”
Since then, Australia’s Ariarne Titmus has upset Ledecky for the 2019 world title and out-dueled her in the Tokyo Olympic final in 2021. Titmus lowered the world record and Canadian teen Summer McIntosh lowered it again in March with a time of 3:56.08.
With Titmus having clocked 3:58.47 at the Australian trials this month, Ledecky was clearly dissatisfied with her time but not discouraged.
“So many things to learn from,” said the seven-time Olympic gold medallist and owner of 19 world titles. “So I’ll try to learn as much as I can and be better in a couple of weeks.”
Ledecky, who had opened the week with her fastest 800m free time since 2016, said she felt her rhythm was off from the start. With Fukuoka looming, she said, she’ll focus on “making sure I’m ready to go when I dive in and build throughout the race.”
In addition to being the US nationals, the event also serves as Team USA’s World Championships trials. The World Aquatics Championships will be in held in Fukuoka, Japan, in July.
Regan Smith and Lilly King each won a third national title of the week.
Smith captured the women’s 100-meter backstroke, adding to her earlier wins in the 200 butterfly and the 200 backstroke.
King completed a sweep of the breaststroke events, taking the 100 on Friday after winning the 200 and the 50 previously, Reuters reported.
Smith, a 21-year-old from Lakeville, Minn., broke her own US Open record in the 100 backstroke finals, finishing in 57.71 seconds — 0.05 lower than her old mark. She set the all-time American record of 57.57 four years ago.
Katharine Berkoff came in second place at 58.01, and Claire Curzan took third at 58.59.
King took the 100 breaststroke in 1:04.75 — 0.62 seconds off her world-record time set in July 2017. Lydia Jacoby placed second at 1:05.16, and Kaitlyn Dobler finished third at 1:05.48.
Two-time Olympic gold medallist Lilly King picked up a third butterfly national title in as many races, capturing the women’s 100m.
Her 1:04.75 was good enough to hold off Lydia Jacoby, the Tokyo 2020 champion in the event. Jacoby put up a time of 1:05.16.
“Just that I had some gas left, that’s always a good feeling,” said King of her mindset in the final 50. “Knowing that you’re going to finish well, that’s when the training pays off.”
Like King, Smith continued her winning ways in Indy with a third title.
“There’s a great, great group of girls who are all racing,” said Smith. “Katharine gave me a really awesome race, and I’m glad I got my hand to the wall first, and I’m super pleased with that time.”
Dressel opened the Championship by missing out on his first chance at making a final.
The 26-year-old, who is returning to competitive swimming after withdrawing from the worlds last season, came up short of the 100m freestyle final. He swam a 49.42 in his opening race at the event, which also serves as Team USA’s World Trials.
He was 1.79 off the lead and more than a second out of the top eight finishers that advance to the A final. Ryan Held’s 47.63 was the top time.
In addition to being the reigning Olympic champion in the event, Dressel also owns two world titles (2017, 2019) in the event. He is the American record holder, clocking a 46.96 in 2019.
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