Ledecky retains 400m freestyle world title

Katie Ledecky of the United States opened an ambitious program at the world swimming championships with an easy victory in the 400-meter freestyle Sunday night. The U.S. team of Missy Franklin, Margo Geer, Lia Neal and Simone Manuel was third at 3:34.61.

Ledecky’s first final will take place Sunday in the 400m freestyle, in which she holds the world record. Franklin gained a document six whereas Ledecky took residence 4, together with two world data.

They are the dominant U.S. swimmers with Michael Phelps missing the meet because of his suspension by USA Swimming for his second DUI arrest.

The Washington, D.C.-based Ledecky, who collected the gold medal in the 800 freestyle at the Olympic Games last summer in London, took a run at the world record for the duration of her eight laps, only to fall just shy of the world record by Italian Federica Pellegrini at the 2009 World Championships, when high-tech suits made a mockery of the sport. Franklin begins Monday with preliminaries within the one hundred backstroke.

Ledecky’s entry in the 200 free is merely the most visible indication of how far she has come in the 24 months since Barcelona.

Ledecky and Sun could become the first swimmers to sweep the 200m through 1500m freestyles at a World Championships. But I want to be awfully darn close every time and thats what keeps me motivated.”. “It was a fast race”, she said. “The entire area goes to be wanting that and giving their coronary heart in that race”. “That wasn’t my focus I just wanted to compete with these girls and get the gold medal”.

Since leaving school final spring, Franklin moved again house to Colorado and resumed coaching together with her childhood coach.

Another record seems within reach in the final later Sunday at the Kazan Arena, where a temporary pool has been set up inside a football stadium.

“This meet is such a good indicator of things that you need to work on, especially for next year for Olympic trials, so I’m excited to race to see where I am and where my competitors are”, she said.

A back injury at last August’s Pan-Pacific Games tested Franklin’s mental strength, but she still finished with a gold, two silvers and a bronze.

Hosszu ducked well beneath her time when she won the title two years ago, winning her heat in 2:07:30.

“I really consider it will not ever occur once more”, she stated.

Ledecky set world records over the 800m and 1500m freestyle in Barcelona, then bettered both past year.

Ledecky disregarded speak of decreasing her world data, saying, “I do not wish to set particular time objectives”.

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.

“Ive been aiming for this record for a long time so its great to finally have it, ” said Sjoestrom, who is entered in four other sprint events. The U.S.’ Connor Jaeger and Michael McBroom were fourth and eighth, respectively. Ryan Lochte has a lighter than ordinary schedule, with simply the 200 free and 200 particular person medley, and any relays.

He gave a statement of intent on his official Weibo (Chinese social media) account before heading to Kazan: “It’s my first time to compete four individual events at world championships…”

“I was pleased with the swim to be honest, it was just a fraction outside my best at that distance”, Boyle said.