Katie Ledecky breaks 4:00 in 400 freestyle at Atlanta Classic

Katie Ledecky breaks 4:00 in 400 free at Atlanta Classic; Dakota Luther shines in Austin (women’s rally)

The meets in Atlanta, Austin and Irvine comprise the USA Swimming Club Excellence Challenge series, providing the final major racing opportunity for top swimmers before the U.S. Olympic Trials next month in Indianapolis. The distance races kicked off the competitions on Wednesday evening, with Katie Ledecky leading the way with the world’s fastest time in the 1500 freestyle, and she shone again in the 400 freestyle on Thursday.

Ledecky clocked 3:59.44 to comfortably win the event at the Atlanta Classic. This placed her tied for second in the world rankings with New Zealand. Erika Fairweather, who swam his time en route to a world title in the 400 freestyle earlier this year. The only swimmer ahead of these two is Summer McIntoshwho posted a mark of 3:59.08 at the Canadian Olympic Trials this week.

In Atlanta, Ledecky was followed by Madi Mintenko (4:08.68) and Bella Sims (4:08.88), while in Austin, Jillian Cox won by more than 10 seconds in 4:08.95. Aurore Roghair won the 400 free in Irvine in 4:09.46.

Other events contested Thursday included the 100 freestyle, 100 breaststroke and 200 fly.

100 free

Two of the 100 fastest freestylers in the United States faced off at the Irvine competition, and Torri Huske was right to Weitzeil Abbey in a finish which comes down to two tenths. Huske clocked 53.33, a quarter-second off his season best of 53.08, while Weitzeil clocked 53.56 for his 2024 best. Amy Tang finished third in 54.96.

Catie DeLoof had the best time in Atlanta with 54.06, while Erika Connolly (Previously Erika Brown) tied for second place with Isabelle Ivey in 54.81. Both DeLoof and Connolly were part of the U.S. women’s 400 freestyle relay team at the Tokyo Olympics. Erin Gemmell achieved the best time in Austin with his score of 54.36, with Chloe Stepanek (55.12) comes next.

100 breaststroke

The only sub-1:07 performance of the night came from Anna Elendt in Austin. Elendt, a bronze medalist in the 100m breaststroke while representing Germany at the 2022 World Championships, clocked 1:06.82 to beat his Texan teammate and reigning Olympic gold medalist. Lydia Jacoby (1:07.69) by more than eight tenths.

Mona McSharry, who represents Ireland internationally but competes in the United States for the University of Tennessee, clocked 1:07.08 to win the 100 breaststroke in Atlanta after clocking 1:06, 91 in the preliminary round. Companion Flight Emelie Rapide finished second in 1:08.42, with Georgia Zoe Hartman third (1:09.23). In Irvine, former NCAA champion Kaitlyn Dobler set the best time in 1:07.95.

200 butterfly

Dakota Luther is positioning himself to try to earn a spot on the U.S. Olympic team in the 200 fly. Race against University of Texas training partners Emma Sticklen And Kelly Pash in Austin, Luther won in 2:07.81, leaving her just outside the world’s top 10 and only behind. Regan Smith And Rachel Klinker among the Americans. Pash (2:09.11) and Sticklen (2:09.77) also had good times in Austin.

Klinker took the win in Irvine in 2:09.31, followed by the Stanford group Caroline Bricker (2:09.80), Lucy Bell (2:10.53), Charlotte Crochet (2:11.26) and Lillie Nordmann (2:12.59). The Atlanta 200 fly went to a veteran Leah Gingrich in 2:11.75, ahead of the teenagers Lilla Bognar (2:12.29) and Carli Cronk (2:12.68).