KAZAN, Russia -- Future Stanford swimmer Katie Ledecky confirmed her status as the best freestyle swimmer in the world Wednesday, winning the 200-meter freestyle for her third gold medal of the 2015 FINA World Championships. Ledecky has won seven career World Championship golds in as many tries.
“It was a star-studded field, just glad that it all went well,” Ledecky told Michele Tafoya on Universal Sports. “I just felt a lot more recovered than yesterday [when Ledecky swam the 200-meter freestyle semifinals minutes after winning the 1500-meter freestyle final in world-record time]. I was able to go out with the field.”
The field included world-record holder Federica Pellegrini of Italy, who took silver in 1:55.32, and Team USA’s Missy Franklin, who was third at 1:55.49. Ledecky was in at 1:55.16.
The race was tight through the first 150 meters before Ledecky started to widen the gap in the final 50. She was third at the first wall and fourth through 100 meters, as all eight swimmers were within .85 of each other at the halfway mark.
Ledecky still has one individual event left on her slate, the 800-meter freestyle relay, a race she will likely be the heavy favorite. She will be looking for her fourth individual gold to one-up her performance from 2013 Worlds in Barcelona.
In 2013, the then-16-year old bypassed swimming the 200 in order to stay away from complications with swimming the 1,500-200 double like she did this year. If she wins the 800, Ledecky will be the first person to sweep the 200, 400, 800 and 1,500 golds.
A win in the 800 would also put Ledecky within one of the all-time record of nine career gold medals. Missy Franklin and Libby Trickett share the record with nine apiece.
The 800 prelims and semifinals are scheduled for Aug. 7, while the finals will race on Aug. 8.
In other action, Stanford sophomore Lia Neal anchored the 4x100-meter mixed medley relay team to a world record in qualifying. She split 54.04 as part of the team's 3:42.33.
Ryan Murhpy, Kevin Cordes and Kendyl Stewart joined Neal on the relay.