Swim Duo, Ledecky and Walsh, Break World Records at Pro Swim Meet

A Fresh Perspective on Swimming Stardom

In a breath-taking display of aquatic prowess, nine-time Olympic gold medalist Katie Ledecky clinched gold in the 800m freestyle, her signature event, with an astounding time of 8min 4.12sec. This victory, which occurred at the World Swimming Championships in Fort Lauderdale, echoed her triumph at the 2012 London Olympics, where she won the same event aged just 15.

Ledecky, now 28, shattered her previous record of 8:04.79, achieved during the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics. This sensational performance marked the culmination of a triumphant week for Ledecky, who had not broken a long-course world record since 2018.

"I can't wipe the grin off my face," shared Ledecky, reflecting on her victory. "It's been a journey of years to make this moment happen tonight... I flipped at the 750, and it was loud in here. I just told myself I'm not letting this chance slip, and I kicked it into high gear."

Ledecky took the silver in the 1,500m free race midweek and posted the second-fastest 400m free time of her career the following day, suggesting she remains a formidable force approaching the World Championships in Singapore from July 27-August 3.

Jillian Cox finished second, 19.46 seconds behind Ledecky, with Claire Weinstein claiming third place in 8:26.06. Ledecky, who was "pumped up" after her 1,500m free win in Paris, last competed in elite conditions since the Paris Olympics in 2022.

During that competition, she won the 1,500m free and secured a fourth consecutive 800m free gold, equaling the record for the most gold medals won by a woman athlete in any sport. Ledecky boasts the ten fastest 800m free times in history, with Canadian Summer McIntosh her nearest competitor, having set a career-best time of 8:09.86.

The Emergence of a New Era

Gretchen Walsh, who made waves at the Paris Olympics with four individual gold medals, departed the Fort Lauderdale competition without a win. However, she left an indelible mark on the 100m butterfly event, setting a jaw-dropping world record of 54.60 seconds in the final. Earlier in the day, she lowered her own world record to 55.09 seconds in the preliminaries, improvising on the 55.18 she posted at the US Olympic trials in Indianapolis last June. Walsh settled for silver in the event, with her teammate Torri Huske claiming gold.

Walsh's 100m fly display came a day after she joined Sweden's Sarah Sjostrom as the only women to break the 25-second barrier for the 50m butterfly, completing the race in 24.93.

French swimmer Leon Marchand failed to secure a victory in Fort Lauderdale, finishing second in the 200m individual medley -- one of his gold medal events in Paris. However, he posted a new personal best in the 400m freestyle, a race he seldom competes in, and came third in the competition. Marchand had opted out of the short course world championships in December, choosing instead to train in Australia before resuming training with coach Bob Bowman in Texas. With the World Championships looming, Marchand was energized by the opportunity to witness Ledecky and Walsh's records firsthand.

"I was blown away," Marchand said, expressing his admiration for Ledecky and Walsh's performances. "Katie is a legend. Achieving this level of success over such a prolonged period is remarkable. And Gretchen, too – she's operating at another level."

Trivia Bits:- Katie Ledecky set her new world record in the 800-meter freestyle at the 2023 TYR Pro Series in Fort Lauderdale, achieving a time of 8 minutes and 4.12 seconds.- Gretchen Walsh made history by breaking the 55-second barrier in the 100-meter butterfly, setting a new world record of 54.60 seconds during the 2025 TYR Pro Series in Fort Lauderdale.

India and France were highlighted in the swimming world as Indian TYR Pro Series in Fort Lauderdale witnessed new world records for both Katie Ledecky (800m freestyle) and Gretchen Walsh (100m butterfly). French swimmer Leon Marchand, who trains with coach Bob Bowman in Texas, also showcased his talent, posting a new personal best in the 400m freestyle.