Katie Ledecky, Bobby Finke, and Gretchen Walsh each secured their third event wins at the Toyota U.S. Swimming Championships, positioning them as key competitors for the upcoming World Championships in Singapore. Dominating the 1500m freestyle, Ledecky furthered her impressive record with a time of 15:36.76, maintaining a 15-year unbeaten streak and holding the top 23 fastest times in history for the event. This year, she has the fastest times globally in both the 800m and 1500m freestyle and was leading in the 400m until Canadian swimmer Summer McIntosh claimed the world record later in the meet.
If she triumphs in her three individual events and contributes to a winning relay team, Ledecky would be one world title away from Michael Phelps’ record. She is also close to tying Ryan Lochte’s medal count, aiming for her 27th championship medal. McIntosh poses a significant challenge as Ledecky’s main competitor at the Worlds.
In addition, Walsh showcased her talent, tying American records in the 50m freestyle with a time of 23.91 seconds, alongside wins in the 50m and 100m butterflies. Finke added to the excitement by winning the 800m and 1500m freestyles, along with the 400m individual medley, though he will not compete in the latter event at the Worlds.
Jack Alexy shone in the men’s 50m freestyle, achieving the second-fastest American time ever, while Shaine Casas and Alex Walsh excelled in their respective individual medley events. Highlights of the Championships will air on NBC, showcasing the U.S. team’s talent ahead of international competition.
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