World Cup Indy: Katie Ledecky Wins WR in 800 Freestyle; Dylan Carter completes Sprint Tear
After action in Berlin and Toronto, the 2022 edition of the FINA World Cup will conclude on Saturday night in Indianapolis, where night three action will include a world record chase Katie Ledecky in the 800 meter freestyle. The evening also includes additional performances by American teenagers Bella Simswho set two junior world records (200 freestyle/100 backstroke) in Night Two.
The end of the World Championship doesn’t mean the end of the short-distance meter action for the year. Next month the FINA World Short Course Championships will take place in Melbourne. Olympic champion Kyle Chalmers will lead the line-up of the host country for the meeting Down Under.
Here’s an event-by-event look at what happened on the final night of competition in Indy.
meet results
Men’s 400 layers singles
Building a comfortable lead on the opening butterfly leg, South African Matthew Sates never gave up his advantage and recorded a dominant win in the 400 medley. Sates clocked a time of 4:04.12, a feat that capped a breakthrough in the longer IM. Previously, the states won the event at the Berlin and Toronto stops. Canada’s Finlay Knox was second with a time of 4:07.09 from the afternoon heats in the timed final.
800 women’s freestyle
As expected, Katie Ledecky broke the world record in the 800m freestyle with 7:57.42. The American star stormed to the front from the start and maintained a world record pace throughout the race to break the old 7:59.34 mark set in 2013 Miria Belmonte. It was the second world record in as many weeks for Ledecky, who set the 1500 free record in Toronto last week.
Ladies 100 butterfly
Sweden Louise Hanson, who stormed to the top of the seed list that morning, confirmed that performance in the final, winning in 55.45. Hansson’s time was more than a second quicker than France’s 56.48 Beryl Gastaldello for second place. Third place went to an American teenager Alex Shackellwho clocked 56.63.
Men’s 50 Butterfly
Dylan Carter He put the finishing touches on a spectacular sprint course as he won the 50 butterflies to end a sweep of this event in World Cup action. Carter posted a time of 21.99 which gave him an easy decision Chad Le Clos (22.27). Carter’s sweep of the 50 fly complemented previous sprint sweeps in the 50 freestyle and 50 backstroke and gave the Trinidad & Tobago native a 9-on-9 run in the World Cup.
200 women’s backstroke
Beata Nelson led a 1-2-3 finish against the United States and ended winning 200 backstroke in World Cup competition. Nelson was over 150 meters under the world record pace and finished in 2:00.43. Nelson paced American teenagers and Sandpipers teammates Bella Sims (2:01.64) and Katie Grimes (2:02.34) into the wall.
100 men’s backstroke
Trailing poles Kapper Stokowski through a slim .03 on the last 25 yards, Shaine Casas Dig down and moved forward to take the win in 49.40 while Stokowski went for second in 49.63. Casas’ win completed his World Cup win at the event, his second 3-on-3 of the series. Third place Ryan Murphy at 49.67.
Women 50 Breaststroke
of Lithuania Ruta Meluttyte clinched her third straight win at the event in style as she posted the third fastest time in history. Leading from the start, Meilutyte touched the wall in 28.70, a mark bested only by Jamaican Ali Atkinson (28.56 and 28.64). The United States’ Lili King was the runner up and checked in at 29:16.
Men 200 Breaststroke
After entering the final in eighth place, Americans Nick Fink used the outside-smoke approach to sweep the 200 breaststroke races during the world championships. This time Fink won the event in 2:02.70, which was more than two seconds ahead of the 2:04.74 Reece Whitley. In the World Cup, Fink was perfect as he also swept the 50 breaststroke and 100 breaststroke.
100 women’s freestyle
On the heels of winning the 200m freestyle, Hong Kong Siobhan Haughey was too much for the opponents at half distance. She won her third consecutive 100m freestyle during the World Cup, her last performance being a 51.00. Haughey finished the race more than half a second ahead of the Australian madison wilson (51.54) and the United States Farrope Abbey (51.63).
200 men’s freestyle
Only 0.19 separated the top four swimmers, but it was that of the United States. Kieran Smith who snatched the win in 1:41.78. Smith took the lead from the start and fended off attacks Dana’s Rapsys, Drew Kibler and Kyle Chalmers down the track. Rapsys was second in 1:41.89, followed by Kibler in 1:41.93. Chalmers touched in 1:41.97.
200 medley women’s singles
Outstanding short haul Beata Nelson earned her second first place finish in the session, completing her series sweep of the 200 IM. Nelson clocked a time of 2:04.92 to defeat Canadian Sydney Pickrem (2:05.87). Earlier in the session, Nelson won the 200 back to sweep this event around the circuit. The win also secured Nelson the overall World Cup title.
