Ledecky Extends Winning Streak with Pan Pacific Gold
AI-generated image · US National Wire
The American star dominated the 1500m freestyle in Irvine, marking a continued run of success ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Katie Ledecky continued her dominance in the pool on Wednesday, winning the 1500m freestyle at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in Irvine, California. According to The Guardian, Ledecky touched in 15m 36.09s, extending a winning streak that has now spanned 16 years.
Reporting from The Guardian notes that Ledecky maintained a pace under her own world record during the early stages of the 30-lap event. While Australia's Lani Pallister attempted to keep pace early on, Ledecky eventually established a body-length lead. Pallister secured the silver medal with a personal best of 15:38.62, while Moesha Johnson of Australia took bronze.
The victory marks the first international medal of Ledecky's career earned on home soil. The event serves as a precursor to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, where swimming competitions will be hosted at SoFi Stadium. The Guardian reports that this year's Pan Pacific Championships were moved from Canada to Southern California to provide the region with a major international meet prior to the 2028 Games.
Other notable results from the opening night included Gretchen Walsh winning the 50m butterfly in 24.65s over teammate Kate Douglass. In the men's division, Luca Urlando won the 200 butterfly in 1:53.11, a time that The Guardian reports broke a 20-year-old championship record previously held by Michael Phelps.