1500 m freestyle, women

What to remember

Indianapolis, May 16, 2018: at a stop of the TYR Pro Swim Series, Katie Ledecky finished the 1500 m freestyle in 15 min 20.48 s. The time was set in a long course pool and ratified by World Aquatics.

The American swimmer built her career on long freestyle events. At the 2015 World Championships in Kazan, she became the only female swimmer to win four individual titles at the same championships. Her international debut came at the 2012 London Olympics, where she won the 800 m freestyle against expectations.

The women's 1500 m is a recent Olympic event: it only joined the programme in 2020, while men have raced it at the Games since 1908. At the World Aquatics Championships, the women's race has been held since 2001, against 1973 for the men. Ledecky swam this time before the event was Olympic for women, and she went on to win the Olympic title over the distance.