WATCH Katie Ledecky Blasts 8:07 Barrier With World Record in 800 Free in Austin

Photo Courtesy: Delly Carr

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NCAP’s Katie Ledecky destroyed her women’s 800-meter free world record at the 2016 Arena Pro Swim Series Austin.

Ledecky, who was super emotional after the swim, unleashed a ridiculously fast time of 8:06.68 for the win. That swim downed her previous world record of 8:07.39 set last summer at the 2015 World Championships.

No one has come even close to Ledecky all time as Rebecca Adlington previously owned the world record with an 8:14.10 from the 2008 Beijing Olympics. That’s more than six seconds behind Ledecky’s new world record.

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Comparative Splits:

2016: 28.35, 58.82 (30.47), 1:29.40 (30.58), 2:00.20 (30.80), 2:31.03 (30.83), 3:01.80 (30.77), 3:32.60 (30.80), 4:03.22 (30.62), 4:33.87 (30.65), 5:04.62 (30.75), 5:35.39 (30.77), 6:06.00 (30.61), 6:36.75 (30.75), 7:07.37 (30.62), 7:37.84 (30.47), 8:06.68 (28.84)

2015: 28.63, 58.97 (30.34), 1:29.44 (30.47), 2:00.22 (30.78), 2:30.88 (30.66), 3:01.34 (30.46), 3:32.40 (31.06), 4:03.22 (30.82), 4:34.37 (31.15), 5:04.95 (30.58), 5:36.04 (31.09), 6:06.79 (30.75), 6:37.72 (30.93), 7:08.28 (30.56), 7:38.98 (30.70), 8:07.39 (28.41)

Incidentally, that is also a U.S. Open record, breaking her own mark of 8:11.00 set in a meet in Shenandoah, Texas back in 2014.

Ledecky now owns the top eight swims and nine of the top 10.

All Time 800 Free

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It’s been a decade since someone set a world record in January, and it took an early Commonwealth Games in 2006 for that to happen as Libby Trickett (100 free), Jade Edmistone (50 breast) and Leisel Jones (200 breast) set a trio of world records there.

For the men, it’s been since 1991 that someone has set a world record in January.

Ledecky basically swam along as NBAC’s Becca Mann finished second in 8:24.49 with teammate Lotte Friis earning third in 8:27.23.

Virginia’s Leah Smith (8:28.31), Mission Viejo’s Stephanie Peacock (8:31.90), NBAC’s Cierra Runge (8:36.76), NBAC’s Sierra Schmidt (8:38.73) and Triangle’s Ashley Twichell (8:41.23) finished the rest of the top eight in the timed final event.

 1 Ledecky, Katie   18 Nation's Capital  8:07.39    8:06.68        
             28.35        58.82 (30.47)
        1:29.40 (30.58)     2:00.20 (30.80)
        2:31.03 (30.83)     3:01.80 (30.77)
        3:32.60 (30.80)     4:03.22 (30.62)
        4:33.87 (30.65)     5:04.62 (30.75)
        5:35.39 (30.77)     6:06.00 (30.61)
        6:36.75 (30.75)     7:07.37 (30.62)
        7:37.84 (30.47)     8:06.68 (28.84)
  2 Mann, Becca      18 North Baltimore   8:21.77    8:24.49        
             29.60      1:00.93 (31.33)
        1:32.78 (31.85)     2:04.67 (31.89)
        2:36.54 (31.87)     3:08.24 (31.70)
        3:40.07 (31.83)     4:11.97 (31.90)
        4:43.80 (31.83)     5:15.63 (31.83)
        5:47.33 (31.70)     6:19.22 (31.89)
        6:50.83 (31.61)     7:22.40 (31.57)
        7:53.91 (31.51)     8:24.49 (30.58)
  3 Friis, Lotte     27 North Baltimore   8:21.36    8:27.23        
             29.34      1:00.69 (31.35)
        1:32.17 (31.48)     2:04.06 (31.89)
        2:35.70 (31.64)     3:07.73 (32.03)
        3:39.63 (31.90)     4:11.65 (32.02)
        4:43.72 (32.07)     5:15.82 (32.10)
        5:47.73 (31.91)     6:19.92 (32.19)
        6:52.18 (32.26)     7:24.23 (32.05)
        7:56.01 (31.78)     8:27.23 (31.22)
  4 Smith, Leah      20 UN                8:24.74    8:28.31        
             29.39      1:01.25 (31.86)
        1:33.07 (31.82)     2:05.32 (32.25)
        2:37.19 (31.87)     3:09.34 (32.15)
        3:41.34 (32.00)     4:13.61 (32.27)
        4:45.83 (32.22)     5:18.01 (32.18)
        5:50.28 (32.27)     6:22.29 (32.01)
        6:53.98 (31.69)     7:25.79 (31.81)
        7:57.37 (31.58)     8:28.31 (30.94)
  5 Peacock, Stepha  23 Mission Viejo Na  8:28.25    8:31.90        
             29.72      1:01.27 (31.55)
        1:33.14 (31.87)     2:05.05 (31.91)
        2:37.05 (32.00)     3:08.99 (31.94)
        3:41.14 (32.15)     4:13.32 (32.18)
        4:45.60 (32.28)     5:18.02 (32.42)
        5:50.49 (32.47)     6:22.97 (32.48)
        6:55.43 (32.46)     7:27.97 (32.54)
        8:00.26 (32.29)     8:31.90 (31.64)
  6 Runge, Cierra    19 North Baltimore   8:24.69    8:36.76        
             29.54      1:01.65 (32.11)
        1:33.83 (32.18)     2:06.34 (32.51)
        2:38.89 (32.55)     3:11.50 (32.61)
        3:44.30 (32.80)     4:16.95 (32.65)
        4:49.92 (32.97)     5:22.64 (32.72)
        5:55.65 (33.01)     6:28.22 (32.57)
        7:00.73 (32.51)     7:32.94 (32.21)
        8:05.16 (32.22)     8:36.76 (31.60)
  7 Schmidt, Sierra  17 North Baltimore   8:27.54    8:38.73        
             29.61      1:01.00 (31.39)
        1:33.02 (32.02)     2:05.17 (32.15)
        2:37.58 (32.41)     3:10.10 (32.52)
        3:42.79 (32.69)     4:15.63 (32.84)
        4:48.46 (32.83)     5:21.59 (33.13)
        5:54.51 (32.92)     6:27.56 (33.05)
        7:00.55 (32.99)     7:33.33 (32.78)
        8:06.41 (33.08)     8:38.73 (32.32)
  8 Twichell, Ashle  26 Triangle Aquatic  8:34.06    8:41.23        
             29.86      1:01.71 (31.85)
        1:33.77 (32.06)     2:06.21 (32.44)
        2:38.55 (32.34)     3:11.02 (32.47)
        3:43.56 (32.54)     4:16.34 (32.78)
        4:48.97 (32.63)     5:21.89 (32.92)
        5:54.83 (32.94)     6:27.97 (33.14)
        7:01.34 (33.37)     7:34.59 (33.25)
        8:08.09 (33.50)     8:41.23 (33.14)

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7 Comments

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Chris Black

8 years ago

Should read *8:06.68* in the text – I was watching the live stream 🙂

Thanks for all of the great coverage, Jason! Been enjoying it a ton.

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Jason Marsteller

8 years ago

Reply to Chris Black

Thanks! Fixed! Our pleasure to provide wall-to-wall coverage!

Coach Mike 1952

8 years ago

Reply to Jason Marsteller

Also, the new record is more than 7 seconds faster than Rebecca Adlington too, not just six.

Shawn Clark Sabo

8 years ago

I was there….goosebumps and just so happy and proud for her….she is amazing…

Ernesto Hip Torres

8 years ago

Tatiana Ruiz

Marina Friedrich

8 years ago

She is so amazing.

Lindsay Tam Holland

8 years ago

Wallace Holland!