Katie Ledecky makes history with 800m freestyle victory at US Olympic trials

Aimee Lewis, CNN

INDIANAPOLIS (CNN) — Katie Ledecky did connected Saturday what she ever does – triumph an 800m freestyle race. But this triumph astatine nan US Olympic Swimming Team Trials had added significance.

The seven-time Olympic champion became nan first female to triumph 4 titles successful a azygous arena astatine nan US trials, according to USA Swimming, clocking location successful 8:14.12 successful Indianapolis, Indiana, to unafraid Olympic qualification successful an arena successful which she has won golden astatine nan past 3 Games.

“I’m happy to person gotten nan occupation done present successful Indy coming and this week,” Ledecky said, per USA Swimming. “It was a thrill to title successful beforehand of this crowd each week, and of people coming to reminisce a spot connected 12 years agone erstwhile my world profession sewage kickstarted by that 800 successful Omaha.”

Ledecky, nan 800m freestyle women’s world grounds holder, was incapable to surpass Canada’s Summer McIntosh’s world-leading clip this twelvemonth of 8:11.39.

As nan proprietor of 29 of nan apical 30 fastest women’s 800m freestyle times successful history, Ledecky will beryllium favourite to triumph golden successful Paris, but nan imaginable head-to-head against nan American and McIntosh is group to beryllium 1 of nan standout races successful Paris.

Paige Madden vanished successful a individual champion clip to suffice for her 3rd Olympic event, but was much than six seconds down Ledecky.

Elsewhere, Caeleb Dressel won nan men’s 100m butterfly to book his 2nd individual spot for Paris, winning successful 50.19 seconds.

In nan women’s 200m individual medley, Kate Douglass won successful a individual champion clip of 2:06.79.

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Katie Ledecky competes successful nan women’s 800m freestyle last connected time 8 of nan US Olympic trials. | Maddie Meyer, Getty Images via CNN Newsource