At the Toyota U.S. Swimming Championships, Katie Ledecky, Bobby Finke, and Gretchen Walsh each triumphed in their third event, setting the stage for the World Championships in Singapore this July and August. Ledecky, continuing her dominance in the 1500m freestyle, recorded a time of 15:36.76, extending her 15-year winning streak and holding the top 23 fastest times in the event’s history. She currently has the fastest times globally this year in the 400m, 800m, and 1500m frees. If she claims victory in these events and contributes to a winning relay, she will be just one title away from Michael Phelps’ record of 26 world championships.
While Australia’s Ariarne Titmus is taking a competitive break, 18-year-old Summer McIntosh from Canada, a strong contender for Ledecky, aims to challenge her in these events, particularly in the 800m freestyle. Walsh, meanwhile, solidified her status as a top competitor with victories in the 50m and 100m butterflies and the 50m freestyle. She matched Kate Douglass’ American record with a time of 23.91 seconds, hoping for her first major international title in a long course pool.
Finke excelled in his Olympic events, winning both the 800m and 1500m frees, also capturing the 400m individual medley, though he won’t compete in that event at the World Championships. Additionally, Jack Alexy made headlines by winning the men’s 50m free, marking him as the second-fastest American ever. The championships, highlighting these impressive performances, will be aired on NBC.
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