“Can’t stop smiling”
US swimmers succeed in historical
04.05.2025Reading time: 2 min.
Two US athletes shine with world records. While Katie Ledecky works again historical, Gretchen Walsh also writes swimming history.
At the Tyr Pro Swim Series event in Fort Lauderdale, two swimmers from the USA set an impressive exclamation mark. Katie Ledecky and Gretchen Walsh convinced with world records at their home appearance – and added another chapter to their already impressive career.
Ledecky, which has been one of the dominant figures of long -distance swimming for over a decade, could not be beaten over 800 meters freestyle at her first international start since the Paris Olympic Games. In 8: 04.12 minutes, the 28-year-old undercut her own record time, which she had set up in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 in her Olympic victory. At that time it had been 0.67 seconds slower.
“I can’t stop smiling,” said Ledecky after the race. “But that was the whole week, so it’s not really new.”
She had already lit up with another success: she scored the second fastest time in history over 1,500 meters with 15: 24.51 minutes. She was also successful over 400 meters and referred her strongest competitor, Canadian Summer Mcintosh, to second place.
For Ledecky, Fort Lauderdale’s record meant the first long train world record since 2018. She had already started her career in London in 2012 at the age of 15. Then as now, it shapes the long distances like no other. She continues to keep the ten best times of all time over 800 meters. With her best time of 8: 09.86 minutes, Canadian Summer Mcintosh is the only athlete who could approach Ledecky at all.
In parallel to Ledecky’s record run, Gretchen Walsh also caused a stir. The 22-year-old initially improved her own world best stamp over 100 meters butterfly from 55.18 seconds to 55.09 seconds-in order to finally undercut the 55-second mark in the final with 54.60 seconds. Walsh had become Olympic second in Paris last summer behind Torri Huske.