2024 U.S. Olympic Selection
Katie LedeckyLedecky's win tonight was more than just adding a third individual event (she will not compete in the 200m freestyle). Her time of 8:14.12 was the 36th fastest time of her career. Ledecky has won the 800m freestyle at the last four Olympic Trials since the 2012 Trials, her first time winning the event when she was just 15 years old.
At the 2012 Trials, Ledecky competed as the third seed with a time of 8:25.85. Chloe Sutton8:24.05 and Kate ZieglerLedecky won the final in 8:21.59, finishing second to Sutton after the heats and then in the final she took first place with a time of 8:19.78, earning her a ticket to London. And the rest, as the saying goes, is history. In the years between London and now, Ledecky has broken multiple world records, become the greatest long-distance swimmer of all time, and has earned herself a place in the conversation about the greatest swimmer of all time.
| Qualifiers | Final game | Olympic Finals | Podium | |
| 2012 | 8:27.91 | 8:19.78 | 8:14.63 | Money |
| 2016 | 8:10.91 | 8:10.32 | 8:04.79 | Money |
| 2021 | 8:16.61 | 8:14.62 | 8:12.57 | Money |
| 2028 | 8:17.70 | 8:14.12 | ??? | ??? |
Ledecky's winning time tonight of 8 minutes 14.12 seconds was faster than her winning time in 2021, so she should aim to improve on that this year. She has already set a best time of 8 minutes 12.95 seconds this season at an outdoor swim in San Antonio. Last summer, Ledecky won the 800 meters in Fukuoka in 8 minutes 8.87 seconds, earning her 21st gold medal at the World Championships.
At this tournament, a swimmer achieved the triple crown by winning the same event in three consecutive Olympic Games. Ryan Murphy Achieved a triple double in the backstroke Lily King Only one other Olympian has won the 100m breaststroke four times in a row. Michael Phelps.
Phelps won the 200 butterfly at the Olympic Trials from 2004 to 2016, and also won the 200 individual medley during that same period. Among U.S. female swimmers, Ledecky's four-time Olympic appearance feat puts her alongside Jenny Thompson and Allison Schmidt, among others, though it's a bit more common in other countries. The next tournament will feature a star from France. Charlotte BonnetFourth Olympic and World Record Holder Sarah SjostromThis is Ledecky's fifth title. There's no denying their accomplishments, but the US Invitational is often cited as the toughest tournament in history, which makes Ledecky's achievement seem all the more legendary.
Women's 800m Freestyle Final
- World Record: 8:04.79, Katie Ledecky (USA) – 2016 Olympics
- American Record: 8:04.79; Katie Ledecky (USA) – 2016 Olympics
- U.S. Open Record: 8:06.68; Katie Ledecky (USA) – 2016 Pro Swim Series, Austin
- World Junior Record: 8:11.00; Katie Ledecky (united states of america)
- 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials Champions: Katie Ledecky8:14.62
- 2024 Olympic Qualification Time: 8:26.71
Last:
- Katie Ledecky (GSC) 8:14.12
- Paige Madden (NYAC) 8:20.71
- Gillian Cox (TXLA), 8:22.97
- Aurora Roghea (ALTO), 8:28.59
- Rachel Stege (ABSC), 8:28.77
- Kate Hurst (SCAR), 8:28.92
- Claire Weinstein (SAND), 8:29.80
- Ashley Twitchell (TAC), 8:32.75
And with a commanding victory in the 800m freestyle, Katie Ledecky Join Michael Phelps Ledecky became the only swimmer to win the U.S. Olympic Trials four times. She won by more than six seconds in a time of 8:14.12 on her way to her fourth consecutive title.
The gap between the second through sixth place qualifiers in this final was less than one second at the start of the race, but it wasn't a particularly close race. Paige Madden She settled into second place after the first turn and maintained that position throughout the race. She struggled in the years following the Tokyo Olympics, but had some impressive results at the trials. But her second place in the 400m freestyle and her qualification for the 4x200m freestyle relay secured her a spot in her second individual race in Paris.
Madden took second place in a time of 8:20.71, a huge improvement on her personal best, shaving 6.93 seconds off her previous best, set at Knoxville PSS in January.
2023 World Championship Finalists Gillian Cox He finished third with a time of 8 minutes 22.97 seconds, 2.26 seconds behind Madden.
