FINA World Cup: Katie Ledecky sets another world record, three Hoosiers win medals
INDIANAPOLIS – On a night when Katie Ledecky set her 17th world record and three Hoosiers won medals, it was a reminder this is all prelude to the biggest 12 months in Indianapolis swimming history.
Following this weekend’s World Cup stop at the Natatorium — celebrating its 40th anniversary — the USA Championships will be in this pool June 27-July 1, 2023. After that, the U.S. Olympic Trials will be June 15-23, 2024, at Lucas Oil Stadium. A temporary pool will be assembled in home of the Colts, accommodating 30,000 or more spectators.
There weren't nearly that many Saturday. But they were loud (for Ledecky) and proud (for their Hoosiers).
“Having the fans here cheering me on meant a lot,” Ledecky said.
She swam to a time of 7 minutes, 57.42 seconds in the 800-meter freestyle, setting her second world record in 10 days.
When falling a bit off the requisite pace, she seemed buoyed by a crowd that filled one side of the venue. The 25-year-old American earned a $10,000 bonus.
Previous record of 7:59.34 by Spain’s Mireia Belmonte had stood since 2013.
Indianapolis is one of three stops on the World Cup circuit organized by FINA, the world governing body for aquatic sports. Previous two were at Berlin and Toronto.
Indiana’s medalists: Lilly King with a silver in the 50 breaststroke, and bronzes by 15-year-old Alex Shackell in the 100 butterfly and Drew Kibler in the 200 freestyle.
More:After FINA World Cup bronze, Carmel's Alex Shackell joins swimming's teen queens
More:As a pro swimmer, Drew Kibler came back to where it started: Carmel
In the 1,500 free, Ledecky won by nearly 10 seconds over silver medalist Summer McIntosh, a 16-year-old Canadian.
The world record was Ledecky’s second in short course (25-meter pool) and second in Indianapolis. She set the world record in long course (50-meter pool) in the 1,500 freestyle with a time of 15:20.48 at the Natatorium on May 16, 2018.
She lowered the world record in the short course 1,500 freestyle to 15:08.24 in Toronto. Her time at 800 meters, 8:00.58, nearly broke Belmonte’s world record for that distance then.
“I think I was putting a lot of pressure on myself after last week,” Ledecky said.
Kibler and Shackell raced some of the best swimmers in the world as casually as if this were Carmel Swim Club’s senior state meet. They each collected two bronze medals this week.
Kibler, who last year became Carmel’s first U.S. Olympic swimmer, came home to train for the 2024 Paris Olympics. He was never a fast in-season swimmer during collegiate days at Texas, explaining it takes him six weeks to get “remotely sharp.”
This time, it took a week.
After what he said was a disappointing Toronto meet, Kibler finished third in a 200 free in which the top four were separated by 19-hundredths of a second:
Kieran Smith, 1:41.78; Lithuanian’s Danas Rapsys, 1:41.89; Kibler, 1:41.93; Australia’s Kyle Chalmers, 1:41.97.
Kibler said it was all mental. Smith and Kibler are now Nos. 6 and 8 on USA Swimming’s all-time list.
“I want to be able to step behind the blocks and really, firmly believe that there’s nobody doing what I’m doing in preparation,” said Kibler, who was sixth at 100 meters. “In terms of physical preparation, mental preparation, everything. I’m getting better, getting closer to that.
“Once I have true confidence where I know I’m not kidding myself and I really, really believe it, that’s a powerful place to be.”
In the 50 breaststroke, King was again beaten by Lithuania’s Ruta Meilutyte, whose time of 28.70 was 0.14 off the world record. King clocked 29.16.
Kibler and King are both in next month’s short course World Championships at Melbourne, Australia.
Shackell isn’t going, but she would not be out of place. Sweden’s Louise Hansson won the 100 butterfly in 55.45, followed by France’s Beryl Gastaldello in 56.48 and Shackell in 56.63.
The race directly followed Ledecky’s world record.
“I think I learned not to be overwhelmed by a lot of big names next to you,” Shackell said. “It can be a lot to take in, but also I earned my spot in the final. It’s not like they’re that far ahead of me.
Another local high school girl, Fisher’s 17-year-old JoJo Ramey, was sixth in the 200 backstroke in 2:03.13. She was first after prelims in 2:04.36.
World Cup champions for scoring the most points over all three stops were Beata Nelson, who won Saturday’s 200 backstroke and 200 individual medley, and Dylan Carter of Trinidad and Tobago.
Contact David Woods at dwoods1411@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter: @DavidWoods007.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: FINA World Cup swimming: Katie Ledecky sets another world record
