This is absurd in the best possible way.
Wednesday was just another day at the office for Katie Ledecky. The GOAT is on the path to another Olympic Games, and the USA Swimming Trials were a nice, casual lead-up that proved, once again, that nobody is like Katie Ledecky.
Ledecky knifed through the water with typical, machine-like precision to such a degree that it would have been easy to mistake the race as making a mockery of the sport. Less than halfway into the 1500m she was already beating everyone so badly that she was halfway back on her return lap before her nearest competitor touched the wall.
Always fun to watch Katie Ledecky swimming in the opposite direction of everyone else in her distance events. Literally never gets old. pic.twitter.com/fN5TR3wQ8n
— Nicole Auerbach (@NicoleAuerbach) June 20, 2024
It just kept becoming more pronounced as the race went on. This big lead quickly gave way to Ledecky lapping her competition, and with over three minutes left in the race her lead was so massive that nobody else was even on the screen with her as TV tracked Ledecky’s final turns.
Touching the wall in 15:37.34, it was hardly the quickest time of her career — a full 17 seconds off her own world record. Of course, it doesn’t even matter at this point considering EVERY SINGLE TOP TIME IN THE HISTORY OF THE SPORT is owned by Katie Ledecky.
The biggest international challenge comes from Australia for Paris, but they’re not remotely equipped to hang with Ledecky in the 1500m. Lani Pallister won the event at the Australian trials, but posted a 15:53.79, a full 16 seconds slower than Ledecky.
When it comes to this event it’s simply Katie Ledecky’s world, and we’re living in it.
