Katie Ledecky Drops Strong Showing in 400 Freestyle at Southern Zone Sectionals
Distance legend Katie Ledecky is using this weekend’s Southern Zone Sectional Championships in Florida as an opportunity to get in some racing. The 14-time Olympic medalist won the 400-meter freestyle on Saturday night, a time of 4:01.04 handing Ledecky a 16-second victory. Ledecky posted another 4:01-low during the morning preliminaries, where she was timed in 4:01.27.
The 27-year-old went out in 57.81 and came through the midway point of the race in 1:58.54. She touched at the 300-meter point in 3:00.53 and closed with a final 100 meters of 1:00.51. Ledecky is scheduled to swim the 1500 freestyle on Sunday.
Here are Ledecky’s splits from Saturday’s race:
50: 27.96
100: 57.81 (29.85)
150: 1:28.15 (30.34)
200: 1:58.54 (30.39)
250: 2:29.64 (31.10)
300: 3:00.53 (30.89)
350: 3:31.42 (30.89)
400: 4:01.04 (29.62)
Of her 14 Olympic medals, three have come from the 400 freestyle. She was the Olympic champion in the event at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro and earned the silver medal at the Tokyo Games. This past summer, Ledecky captured the bronze medal in the 400 free, where she touched behind Australian Ariarne Titmus and Canadian Summer McIntosh.
Ledecky’s performance arrived two days after McIntosh delivered a stellar swim in the 800 freestyle at the Southern Zone Sectionals. Behind a time of 8:09.86, McIntosh posted the 10th-fastest time in history and joined Ledecky as the only other woman to break the 8:10 barrier in the 800 free.
