Ledecky-led USA to use world championships as springboard to LA 2028
She also posted the second-fastest 1,500m free ever this season and swam the second-best 400m free of her career -- all signalling that she remains a force, 13 years on from her breakthrough Olympic gold in the 800m free in London in 2012.
The world championships begin on Sunday and if Ledecky sweeps her three individual events and is part of a winning 4x200m free relay, she would take her tally of world golds to 25.
That is just one shy of Michael Phelps's overall record of 26 world titles.
The 28-year-old Ledecky said she isn't focusing on that type of comparison, or indeed on comparisons with her younger self.
After years in which she felt she could threaten a world record in virtually every race, Ledecky said she had stopped putting expectations on herself.
"I just kind of swim a little more free and just try to improve in different areas, improve off of the previous year or the previous two years or whatever it is, rather than always comparing myself to my 19-year-old self or whatever it may be," she said.
Ledecky is right to be cautious, especially with newly minted world record-holder Summer McIntosh waiting in the 400m free.
Ledecky's presence and level-headed approach will anchor a US team that is a mix of experience and young talent.
The men are aiming to bounce back from a lackluster Paris Olympics at which Bobby Finke's record-breaking 1,500m free gold was the only victory for the US men.
The United States still topped the medals table with eight golds to Australia's seven, and 28 medals in total, but it was the Americans' lowest Olympic total since the 1988 Games in Seoul.
After the women kept America afloat in Paris they look strong again.
Gretchen Walsh has twice lowered her 100m butterfly world record this year and won the 50m fly at the US trials with the fourth-fastest swim ever.
Regan Smith, the 100m backstroke world record-holder, heads a formidable women's backstroke line-up eager to challenge Australia's Kaylee McKeown, who won double backstroke gold at the Tokyo and Paris Olympics.
Setting a tone
With Finke again leading the way, the US men emerged from the domestic championships in June with contenders in multiple events.
Luke Hobson became the first American since Phelps to break 1min 44sec in the 200m freestyle with a time of 1:43.73 and Jack Alexy posted a sizzling 46.99sec in the 100m free.
Luca Urlando owns the first and third-fastest times this year in the 200m butterfly and Shaine Casas signalled he's ready to take the fight to French star Leon Marchand in the 200m individual medley.
"The US men are pretty strong, so I think that was a really encouraging week of swimming for all of us," Carson Foster said in June after securing his place in Singapore with a series of second-place finishes at the US trials.
"I'm really excited for worlds."
Ledecky called the Singapore squad "a great group."
"It will be a lot of good energy," she said. "We want to set the tone as a whole team, a whole unit, this summer, and build from there."
© 2025 AFP
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
France 24
5 hours ago
- France 24
Marseille boost their attack with a record signing
In cycling, the Tour de France ended on Sunday, but the race continues for the women. Stage 3 could prove disastrous for Demi Vollering, the 2023 winner, who went down hard in a late mass crash. She will undergo medical tests on Tuesday to determine the severity of her injuries. In swimming, France claimed their first medal at the World Championships in Singapore with Maxime Grousset's victory in the 50-metre butterfly. On the women's side, Summer McIntosh continues to dominate. The 18-year-old phenom won the 200-meter individual medley, her second gold medal of the competition.
France 24
6 hours ago
- France 24
O'Callaghan closes on more world gold to banish post-Paris blues
The 21-year-old Australian former world record holder, who has spoken candidly about trying to live up to big expectations, was third-fastest in the heats in 1min 57.04sec. New Zealand's 2024 silver medallist Erika Fairweather was fastest on day three of competition in Singapore in 1:56.54, ahead of Erin Gemmell of the United States (1:56.74). O'Callaghan, a five-time Olympic gold medallist, is red-hot favourite in the event. At the Australian trials last month she became emotional when talking about coming down from the high of the Olympics in the French capital a year ago. "I don't think there's been anything as hard as this, coming here and trying to race and trying to, you know, defend my Olympic status in a way," she said in Adelaide in June. She declined to talk to reporters following her heat on Tuesday in Singapore, where she had helped Australia win 4x100m freestyle relay gold on Sunday for her ninth world title. O'Callaghan is also a gold-medal prospect in the 100m freestyle. O'Callaghan arrived in Paris with her 200m freestyle world record just broken by fellow Australian Ariarne Titmus and under enormous pressure. She rose to the occasion, edging Titmus to win gold. She was also a key part of Australia's 4×100m freestyle and 4×200m freestyle gold-medal winning teams. Titmus is on a season-long break and not competing in Singapore. Also on Tuesday morning, Ireland's Paris Olympics gold medallist and defending world champion Daniel Wiffen reached the final of the men's 800m freestyle eighth-fastest in 7:46.36. Quickest was Tunisia's Ahmed Jaouadi (7:41.58), with Germany's Lukas Maertens also safely through in 7:45.54. Maertens is chasing a Singapore double after victory in the 400m free. China's 2023 triple world breaststroke champion Qin Haiyang, who reclaimed the 100m title on Monday, had plenty left in the tank to qualify for the 50m semi-finals in 26.98sec. Italy's Simone Cerasuolo was quickest in the heats in 26.42sec. There are five finals later Tuesday, with world record holder Katie Ledecky the overwhelming favourite in the 1500m freestyle. The 28-year-old United States great is chasing a career 22nd world crown.
France 24
13 hours ago
- France 24
Second Guardians pitcher on leave under MLB gambling probe
Clase becomes the second Guardians player placed on paid leave as part of the sports betting probe, with starting pitcher Luis Ortiz going on the list July 3 and having his leave extended 10 days ago to August 31. "Per an agreement with the MLBPA (players union), Cleveland Guardians pitcher Emmanuel Clase has been placed on non-disciplinary paid leave through games on August 31 while MLB continues its sports betting investigation," an MLB statement said. "We will not comment further until the investigation has been completed." Clase, a 27-year-old Dominican right-hander in his fifth season with the Guardians. The three-time American League All-Star has led the league in saves in each of the past three campaigns and this year has 24 saves and a 5-3 record with a 3.23 earned-run average and 47 strikeouts over 47 1/3 innings over 48 appearances. Ortiz, a 26-year-old Dominican right-hander obtained in a trade with Pittsburgh last December, is 4-9 this season with a 4.36 earned-run average with 96 strikeouts in 16 appearances this season. Both Ortiz and Clase are allowed contact with the organization while on leave, but they are not permitted at team facilities. The Guardians said no other players or team personnel are expected to be impacted by the investigation. "We have been informed that no additional players or club personnel are expected to be impacted," the team said in a statement. "The Guardians are not permitted to comment further at this time and will respect the league's confidential investigative process as we continue to fully cooperate." A firm that monitors wagers for a strange betting patterns flagged Ortiz pitches on June 15 against Seattle and June 27 against St. Louis, according to multiple reports, but it was not clear why Clase was under scrutiny.
