By Sharon Robb
August 9, 2014—On another exciting night at the Phillips 66 National Championships, teenager Katie Ledecky broke the world record in the 400-meter freestyle Saturday at the William Woollett Jr. Aquatics Center in Irvine, Calif.
Ledecky, 17, of Nation’s Capital is the first swimmer since American distance star Janet Evans to own the 400, 800 and 1500-meter freestyle world records. Evans held the records from 1988 through 2006.
With the packed crowd on its feet for the entire race, Ledecky won in 3:58.86, bettering the previous mark of 3:59.15 set at the 2009 World Championships by Italy’s Federica Pellegrini. Ledecky was so excited after looking at the scoreboard that she pulled her white Speedo cap off and threw it in her lane.
Ledecky was on world record pace from her opening 100-meter split of 57.74. She was a full second-and-a-half under world record pace at the 200-meter mark with a split of 59.88 and two body-length lead on the field.
After 300 meters and split of 1:00.68, Ledecky was still on record pace, losing her rhythm ever-so slightly but was able to maintain and bring it home with a final split of 1:00.46.
“I didn’t think about the record too much,” Ledecky said. “I was thinking about putting together a good swim and getting a best time which I did so I am pretty happy.
“It’s hard not to have the record on my mind, but I didn’t have it in the forefront,” Ledecky said. “I didn’t let it get to me. I tried to stay relaxed, have fun and swim well. It’s always been in me. I like to train hard and swim fast. I’m glad the training is all paying off.”
Leah Smith, 19, of Cavaliers was second in 4:06.90 and Cierra Runge, 18, of North Baltimore Aquatic Club was third in 4:07.58. University of Florida alum Elizabeth Beisel, 21, was fifth in 4:08.07 and former Clearwater swimmer Becca Mann, 16, was sixth in 4:09.89.
The talk of a world record started after morning prelims when Ledecky broke the U.S. Open, U.S. national meet and junior world records in 3:59.89 and flirted with both the American and world records. It was the third fastest time in history.
Her jaw-dropping world record swim came just days after breaking the junior world record in the 200-meter freestyle in 1:55.16 and posting an 8:18.47 to win the 800-meter freestyle.
Said men’s 400-meter freestyle winner Michael McBroom of The Woodlands Swim Team: “We were all watching and talking about her world record before the race. We were saying that she may beat some of us. We were trying to stay ahead of that time. Hats off to her, that was a really awesome swim.”
Bolles alum Ryan Murphy, 19, of Cal Aquatics made the “A” final in the 100-meter backstroke in a best-time 53.20, sixth fastest time in the world this year and came back at night to finish second in 53.21. Murphy was also second in the 200 backstroke in 1:55.99. The U.S. national team member has the 50-meter freestyle remaining on Sunday.
South Florida Aquatic Club’s Marc Rojas went 1:06.56 in the 100-meter breaststroke, his second and final event of the meet. Rojas is now headed to Florida State where he will compete for the Seminoles this fall.
Katie Hoff of Hurricane Aquatics scratched from the remainder of the meet because of a nagging intercostal strain she has been dealing with. The intercostal muscles are several groups of muscles that run between the ribs and help form and move the chest wall.
Hoff was entered in the 100 and 200 freestyle events and 200-meter individual medley. It was her first U.S. national championship since making her comeback.
According to her coach Andy Kershaw, Hoff, 25, was dealing with the injury and had been trying to fight through it, but it escalated after the 100 freestyle prelims. She was receiving treatment.
Spruce Creek alum Ryan Lochte scratched from the 100-meter backstroke on Saturday. Earlier in the week, he also scratched from the 200-meter freestyle. On Sunday he is scheduled to race the 200-meter individual medley and is expected to go head-to-head with Michael Phelps.
During a Saturday afternoon press conference, USA Swimming National Team Director Frank Busch explained the thinking behind the two-year selection process that USA Swimming uses two years before the Olympics.
“When you look at the quad (4-year training plan), you have two years with championship meets in early July,” Busch explained. “The year after the Olympics and then the year of the Olympics. In the middle years, we want our athletes to be able to train all the way through the end of summer into August.
“It’s important that swimmers get the most long course training out of the middle two years as they can. There are coaches that agree and disagree with that opinion, but it is what we believe is best.”
Pan Pac coaches Bob Bowman and Teri McKeever also added that this is a good opportunity for older star swimmers to re-evaluate where they are as athletes and either make some changes in their training or retire.
On Sunday from 4-6 p.m. EST, taped highlights of the meet will air on NBC. Check your local listings.
In other championship finals:
Men’s 400-meter freestyle: Michael McBroom, 23, of The Woodlands Swim Team surged in the last five meters to win in a lifetime-best 3:47.19. Matt McLean, 26, of North Baltimore Aquatic Club was second in 3:47.30 and Connor Jaeger, 23, of Club Wolverine was third in 3:49.42.
“I just wanted to have a competitive race,” McBroom said. “I have been working hard all year. I was trying to even split it, that’s generally my strategy.”
Women’s 100-meter breaststroke: Jessica Hardy, 27, of Trojan Aquatics and Micah Lawrence, 24, of SwimMAC tied for the title in 1:06.51, sixth fastest time in the world this year and second win of the meet for both. Hardy went out fast in 30.63 and looked to be ahead but Lawrence got her hand on the wall at the same time. Three-time NCAA champion Breeja Larson of Aggies Swimming was third in 1:06.73. SwimMAC had three finalists in the field.
“I knew they would be closing fast, I just kept the blinders on,” Hardy said.
Said Lawrence, “I knew everyone would be a lot faster than me going out, I just told myself to be patient.”
Men’s 100-meter breaststroke: Indiana alum Cody Miller, 22, of BAD turned in the swim of his career to top an impressive field winning in a lifetime best 59.91, breaking a minute for the first time. Nick Fink 21, of Athens Bulldogs was second in 1:00.38 and Kevin Cordes, of Tucson Ford was third in 1:00.63. Miller was so he excited that he punched the water and hit his head against the wall.
“I was surprised because my goggles started filling up the last 15 meters and I wasn’t sure where I was,” Miller said. “I was a little surprised I won. This is overwhelming. I am still kind of in shock. I can’t believe this, it hasn’t sunk in yet.”
Women’s 100-meter backstroke: Missy Franklin, despite a poor start, kicked it into high gear in the back half of the race to win in 59.38 for her fifth national title in the event. It was the third fastest time in the world this year. It was a 1-2-3 Cal sweep with teammates Rachel Bootsma second in 1:00.71 and Elizabeth Pelton third in 1:00.76. Michigan-bound Clara Smiddy, 18, of AquaKids Sharks was sixth in 1:01.37.
“I knew the rest of the field was going to be really fast so I knew I had to bring it home really strong,” Franklin said. “My teammates are seriously my second family and to finish 1-2-3 is the best.”
Men’s 100-meter backstroke: Matt Grevers, 29 , of Tucson Ford used every inch of his 6-foot-8 frame to hold off Bolles alum Ryan Murphy in the last five meters to win in 52.75 and secure a spot on the Pan Pacs team. Murphy was second in 53.21 and Nick Thoman, 28, of SwimMAC was third in 53.46. Michael Phelps, last at the turn and after hitting the lane line, finished sixth in 53.95.
“This was good, I was about 25/100ths off where I wanted to be,” Grevers said.
Women’s 400-meter medley relay: Longhorn Aquatics won its first relay of the meet in 4:07.73 with Sarah Denninghoff, Gretchen Jaques, Kelsey Leneave and Lisa Boyce.
Men’s 400-meter medley relay: SwimMac Carolina won its second men’s relay of the week in 3:38.51 with Ryan Lochte, Nic Eriksson, Tim Phillips and Dax Hill.
Sunday’s events are men’s 800-meter freestyle, women’s 1500-meter freestyle, 200-meter individual medley and 50-meter freestyle.
After four days of competition, SwimMac Carolina extended its lead in the combined team standings with 647 points, men’s (306) and women’s (341).
The five-day meet, that concludes Sunday, is the USA National Team’s selection for the 2014 Pan Pacific Championships, 2014 Jr. Pan Pacific Championships, 2015 World Championships, 2015 World University Games and 2015 Pan American Games. The next meet for swimmers to make a national team is the 2016 Olympic Trials.
The television schedule for swimming this month is:
Sunday, Aug. 10, 4-6 p.m. EST, NBC (Taped), Phillips 66
Sunday, Aug. 10, 11 p.m.-12 a.m., NBCSUN (Taped), Phillips 66
Saturday, Aug. 23, 2:30-3:30 p.m., NBC (Taped), Pan Pacs
Sunday, Aug. 24, 1-2:30 p.m., NBC (Taped), Pan Pacs
FLORIDA GOLD COAST/FLORIDA SWIMMING RESULTS
Women’s 400-meter freestyle: 5. Elizabeth Beisel, Bluefish 4:08.07, 6. Becca Mann, NBAC 4:09.89, 16. Danielle Valley, SYS 4:13.12, 26. Lindsey McKnight, Swim Fort Lauderdale 4:15.45, best time, 41. Taylor Katz, SYS 4:18.35, best time, 50. Kahra Williams, GSC 4:19.96, 53. Lauren Driscoll, Swim Fort Lauderdale 4:21.25, 56. Summer Finke, SPA 4:21.51.
Men’s 400-meter freestyle: 9. Zane Grothe, Club Seminole 3:51.45, best time, 21. True Sweetser, GSC 3:53.90, best time, 24. Arthur Frayler, Unattached 3:54.61, best time, 32. Nicholas Alexiou, SPA 3:56.58, best time, 49. Grant Sanders, CAT 3:58.94, best time, 60. Calvin Bryant, SPA 4:00.12, 72. Ryan Rosenbaum, Swim Fort Lauderdale 4:01.57, 73. William Silva, GSC 4:01.90.
Women’s 100-meter breaststroke: 20. Justine Bowker, T2 Aquatics 1:09.60, 21. Emily Kopas, Swim Fort Lauderdale 1:09.98, 58. Bethany Leap, SYS 1:12.70.
Men’s 100-meter breaststroke: 39. Alex Evdokimov, Coral Springs Swim Club 1:03.34, best time, 74. Greg Penny, Westminster Academy 1:05.52, 77. Marc Rojas, South Florida Aquatic Club 1:06.56.
Women’s 100-meter backstroke: 6. Clara Smiddy, AquaKids Sharks 1:01.37, 13. Tasija Karosas, Texas Aquatics/St. Andrew’s 1:02.25 (1:02.10, best time, prelims), 26. Ashlee Linn, SYS 1:02.72, best time, 50. Maddie Hess, BW 1:03.80, 53. Alyssa Yambor-Maul, ATAC 1:04.18.
Men’s 100-meter backstroke: 2. Ryan Murphy, Cal/Bolles 53.21, 15. Matt Curby, BD 55.75, best time, 40. Brandon Goldman, Coral Springs Swim Club/LSU 57.01, best time.
Women’s 400-meter medley relay: Sarasota YMCA Sharks was ninth in 4:13.71 with Ashlee Linn, Bethany Leap, Taylor Katz and Danielle Valley.
Sharon Robb can be reached at sha11cats@aol.com
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