Ledecky secures 400m free crown

CHICAGO (AFP) — Nine-time Olympic champion Katie Ledecky notched another impressive victory at the US Swimming Championships on Friday, clocking three minutes and 58.56 seconds to win the 400-meter freestyle event to add another event to her 2025 World Championships program.

Ledecky, who had already punched her ticket to the World Championships in Singapore with a victory in the 800m free, was under world record pace at the 200m mark and came home 1.49 seconds in front of Claire Weinstein — who led Ledecky in a one-two finish in the 200m free this week.

“I just wanted to put together a solid race, start to finish,” Ledecky said after capturing her 32nd national title. “I was definitely hurting the last 100, but overall I’m pretty happy with that.”

Ledecky, who is also slated to swim the 1,500m freestyle as the championships conclude in Indianapolis, Indiana, on Saturday, will be heading to worlds in Singapore next month on a high note.

In May, she swam the second-fastest 1,500m freestyle in history behind her own world record, her second-best 400 free ever and an 800m free world record.

“It’s just a lot of consistency year after year and always believing that I had something more in me... just kind of trusting that would pay off,” she said.