Ledecky breaks 1500m world record at Pan Pacs

Reuters
Aug 9, 2014; Irvine, CA, USA; Katie Ledecky celebrates after setting a world record of 3:58.86 in the womens 400m freestyle at the 2014 USA National Championships at William Woollett Jr. Aquatics Complex. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

(Reuters) - American teenager Katie Ledecky broke a second world record in less than 24 hours when she bettered her own mark for the women's 1,500 metres freestyle at the Pan Pacific championships in Australia on Sunday. The 17-year-old hacked almost six seconds off the previous world record, which she set in Texas in June, when she charged through the 30-lap event in 15 minutes, 28.36 seconds. Ledecky also broke her 400m world record on Saturday and came within a whisker of eclipsing her 800m world best on Thursday. She has won five gold medals at the Pan Pacs, being held at Australia's Gold Coast.