OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – Katie Ledecky set herself up to swim a third individual event in Rio, qualifying fastest for the 800-meter freestyle at the U.S. trials Friday.
The Maryland teenager’s time of 8 minutes, 10.91 seconds in the preliminaries was third fastest in the world this year. She owns the 10 leading times in the event’s history. Ledecky made a name for herself by winning the 800 free four years ago in London.
She is already on the team in the 200 and 400 free. Ledecky is in line to match Debbie Meyers’ sweep of the 200, 400 and 800 freestyles at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics. Shane Gould of Australia won the 200 and 400 free in world-record time at the 1972 Munich Games, and finished second in the 800 free.
Ledecky has the 100 free final Friday night and returns Saturday for the 800 free final.
“I don’t think I’ve done this before, 800 free prelims and then a big-time 100 free final,” she said. “It’ll be fun. A little different.”