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Pair of Sub-1:55s in 200 Free Dropped By Katie Ledecky; Elizabeth Beisel Shines in 4:33.55
- Updated: May 13, 2016
As the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro get closer, Katie Ledecky continues to solidify her status as the top contender for the gold medal in the 200 freestyle, a victory which would almost assuredly guarantee the American star titles from the 200 distance through the 800. The latest evidence of Ledecky’s favoritism over four laps arrived on Friday night at the Atlanta Classic.
After posting a morning preliminary effort of 1:54.85, Ledecky delivered her second sub-1:55 performance of the day when she easily prevailed in the final in 1:54.82. Ledecky paces the world rankings at 1:54.43 and her outings from Friday’s competition sit second and fourth, separated by only Australian Emma McKeon (1:54.83).
As the resounding choice to claim gold in the 400 and 800 freestyles in Rio, Ledecky is likely a triumph away in the 200 free from becoming the first athlete since Debbie Meyer in 1968 to win three freestyle events in a single Olympiad. Untouchable in the longer distances for several years, the 200 free is looking more and more like Ledecky’s domain, too.
While standouts such as Sarah Sjostrom, Missy Franklin and Federica Pellegrini have the ability to reach the podium at the Olympics, Ledecky has shown improved speed to complement her endurance. More, the fact that she unloaded two more sub-1:55 outings a month out from the United States Olympic Trials is a daunting feat.
The 19-year-old Ledecky went out in 55.76, nearly a second ahead of Simone Manuel, and added to her advantage through the final two laps to win by more than three seconds. Manuel, better known for her sprint prowess, turned in a runnerup showing of 1:57.90, with Shannon Vreeland finishing third in 1:58.88.
The reigning world champ in the 200 free, there will be considerable discussion as to whether Ledecky will be able to crack the world record of 1:52.98, set at the height of the tech-suit era by Pellegrini. The …
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