Los Angeles (AFP) – Katie Ledecky confirmed Tuesday she will skip the individual 200m freestyle at the Paris Olympics “if all goes well” and she books her expected berths in the 800m and 1500m free at the US swimming trials.
The US freestyle great punched her ticket to a fourth Olympics with a victory in the 400m free on Saturday in Indianapolis then cruised to victory in the 200m — in which she is the American record holder and 2016 Olympic champion.
But Ledecky hasn’t swum the individual 200 at a major international meeting since she finished 10th at the Tokyo Olympics.
After posting the top qualifying time on Tuesday in the 1,500m free — in which she is the world record-holder, the 27-year-old said her focus was on the 400m, 800m and 1500m free and the 4x200m free relay in Paris.
“Nothing formally gets decided until the end of the week because I’ve got to do what I want to do in the 800 and the mile,” Ledecky said.
“But if all goes well, I’m not planning on swimming it individually in Paris, but I will be swimming the relay.”
Ledecky, whose seven Olympic gold medals include six in individual events, was dethroned in the 400m at the Tokyo Games by Australian Ariarne Titmus, who broke Ledecky’s longstanding world record in the event in 2022.
Canadian teenager Summer McIntosh broke the record last year before Titmus regained it.
“It’s just the workload and wanting to be really great in the 400, 800, mile and relay,” Ledecky said.
“It was good here to swim all three rounds (of the 200). If all goes well and I do drop it, it will be easier in Paris,” Ledecky said.
“Hopefully I’m setting myself up well for that.”
© 2024 AFP
