Katie Ledecky extended her 16-year win streak in the 1500m freestyle, though Australian Lani Pallister was closer to her than any 1500m foe at a major international meet in 13 years.
Ledecky won the Pan Pacific Championships title in 15 minutes, 36.09 seconds in Irvine, California. Pallister was 2.53 seconds behind in 15:38.62 to become the third-fastest woman in history.
It was Ledecky's closest 1500m free at a major international meet — Olympics, worlds, Pan Pacs — since the first of her 11 major titles at the 2013 Worlds at age 16 (2.35 seconds over Dane Lotte Friis).
This one marked Ledecky's first career swim at a major international meet to be held in a U.S. pool.
SWIMMING: Results | Broadcast Schedule
"Even with a swim I'm not super happy with, it's just so much fun to be in this environment and get to experience this," she said on the broadcast.
Ledecky owns the top 13 times in history, led by her world record 15:20.48. Italian Simona Quadarella is the No. 2 woman all-time with a 15:31.79.
That Pallister kept it that close adds anticipation for the 800m free on Saturday. At the 2025 Worlds, Pallister finished just 36 hundredths behind Ledecky in that event, nearly running her down in the last lap.
Pan Pacs, which are for swimmers outside Europe, continue Thursday with preliminary heats at 1 p.m. ET and finals at 10 p.m., live on Peacock and NBCSN.
Also Wednesday, the U.S. broke the world record in the mixed-gender 4x100m medley relay with Will Modglin (backstroke), Van Mathias (breaststroke), Gretchen Walsh (butterfly) and Kate Douglass (freestyle).
They clocked 3:36.70 to break the world record of 3:37.43 set by the U.S. at the 2024 Olympics.
Walsh won the 50m butterfly in 24.65 seconds, the fifth-fastest time in history and 22 hundredths off Swede Sarah Sjostrom's world record.
Walsh is the second-fastest woman in history in the 50m fly (24.51 from June), in addition to being the world record holder in the 100m fly and 50m free.
03:58 Walsh lowers own mark with CR in 50m butterflyGretchen Walsh lowered her own Championship Record at the Pan Pacific Championships, swimming the 50m butterfly in 24.65 seconds, nearly a half-second ahead of compatriot Kate Douglass, who finished in silver position.Pallister edged Canadian Summer McIntosh by 19 hundredths in the 200m free — 1:53.67 to 1:53.86. Pallister and McIntosh are the joint-fifth-fastest women in history in the event with personal bests of 1:53.65.
McIntosh, a 19-year-old who won three individual golds at the 2024 Olympics and four individual golds at the 2025 Worlds, swam the 200m free at a major international meet for the first time since the 2023 Worlds.
McIntosh set a goal to win five individual golds at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, and the 200m free may be key to that. She is the world record holder and reigning world champion in the 400m free, the 200m and 400m individual medleys and the 200m butterfly.
Michael Phelps, who was in attendance Wednesday night, is the only swimmer to win five individual golds at one Olympics. He won eight total golds at the 2008 Beijing Games (including three in relays).
05:15 Pallister puts it together for CR in 200m freeLani Pallister of Australia got the best of Canada’s Summer McIntosh in the women’s 200m freestyle at the Pan Pacific Championships, swimming a Championship Record time of 1:53.67, 0.19 seconds ahead of McIntosh.Katharine Berkoff and Regan Smith went one-two for the U.S. in the women's 100m backstroke.
Berkoff swam 57.93 to become the first American to beat the world record holder Smith in the event at a major international meet since Kathleen Baker at the 2018 Pan Pacs.
05:19 Berkoff tops Smith for 100m back title at Pan PacsKatharine Berkoff (57.93 seconds) and Regan Smith (58.11) combined for another 1-2 finish for the U.S. at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships, this time in the women’s 100m backstroke.Australian Sam Short beat American Bobby Finke by 5.5 seconds in an 800m free duel between each nation's best male distance swimmer.
Luke Hobson and Gabriel Jett gave the U.S. a one-two in the men's 200m free. Hobson prevailed in 1:43.85 for his first individual title in a major international long-course meet.
Jett swam a personal best 1:43.96 to become the third-fastest American in history behind Phelps (1:42.96) and Hobson (1:43.73).
Luca Urlando followed his 2025 World title in the 200m butterfly by winning Pan Pacs in 1:53.11, breaking Phelps' meet record of 1:53.80 from 2006.
05:29 Hobson has what it takes for CR in 200m freestyleLuke Hobson (1:43.85) broke his own Championship Record in the men’s 200m freestyle at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships, as Gabriel Jett (1:43.96) came in just behind for the 1-2 U.S. finish.Van Mathias brings a bonkers swimming comeback story to Pan Pacific ChampionshipsVan Mathias, out of swimming for two years, is now the fastest American breaststroker in history.
Leave a Comment