Ledecky sinks Evans’ 1500 freestyle record

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana: Katie Ledecky broke Janet Evans’ 25-year-old meeting record to claim the women’s 1500 meters freestyle at the US National Championships on Saturday, and becoming the second fastest American of all time in the event.
Ledecky finished in 15:47.15 and was ahead of compatriot Kate Ziegler’s 2007 world record of 15:42.54 through 800 meters before backing off, still beating second place getter Chloe Sutton by more than 20 seconds.
It was also the fastest time of the year and capped a great meeting, which doubled as selection trials for the Barcelona world championships from July 28-Aug.4, for Ledecky who also won the 400 and 800 freestyle titles.
“I was really happy with it,” the 16-year-old told reporters. “It was a swim I was looking forward to all week. I just wanted to go out with a bang.
“I just wanted to swim a controlled swim, feel good and see what I could do and I’m looking forward to seeing what the US can do in Barcelona.”
Olympic champion Ryan Lochte claimed the men’s 200 individual medley, also in the fastest time of the year at 1:55.44.
Lochte was ahead of world record pace but faded in the back half much to his disappointment.
“That’s the story of this meet for me — going out fast and holding on for dear life,” he said.
“I have four more weeks until worlds. Hopefully my legs won’t be as tired.”
Caitlyn Leverenz won the women’s 200 IM.
Nathan Adrian won the men’s 50 freestyle ahead of Anthony Ervin while the evergreen Natalie Coughlin won the women’s 50 to qualify for her sixth world championships team.
The US team for the 2013 swimming World Championships announced on Saturday after completion of the US trials:
Men
Nathan Adrian (50m, 100m freestyle)
Ricky Berens (4x100 free relay, 4x200 free relay)
Tyler Clary (200m butterfly, 200m backstroke, 400m individual medley)
Kevin Cordes (100m, 200m breaststroke)
Conor Dwyer (200m freestyle, 200m individual medley)
Anthony Ervin (50m freestyle, 4x100m free relay)
Jimmy Feigen (100m freestyle)
Nic Fink (100m breaststroke)
Andrew Gemmell (5km)
Eugene Godsoe (50m, 100m butterfly)
Matt Grevers (100m backstroke)
Charlie Houchin (4x200m free relay)
Connor Jaeger (400m, 800m 1500m freestyle)
BJ Johnson (200m breaststroke)
Chase Kalisz (400m individual medley)
Michael Klueh (4x200m free relay)
Ryan Lochte (200m freestyle, 200m backstroke, 100m butterfly, 200m individual medley, 4x100m free relay)
Tom Luchsinger (200m butterfly)
Michael McBroom (1500m freestyle)
Matt McLean (400m freestyle, 4x200m free relay)
Alex Meyer (10km, 25km)
David Plummer (50m, 100m backstroke)
Sean Ryan (5km, 10km)
Kevin Steel (50m breaststroke)
Jordan Wilimovsky (25km)
Women
Cammile Adams (200m butterfly)
Haley Anderson (5km)
Elizabeth Beisel (200m, 400m individual medley)
Rachel Bootsma (50m backstroke)
Chelsea Chenault (4x200m free relay)
Natalie Coughlin (50m freestyle, 4x100m free relay)
Maya DiRado (200m butterfly, 400m individual medley, 4x200m free relay)
Claire Donahue (100m butterfly)
Eva Fabian (25km)
Missy Franklin (100m, 200m freestyle, 100m, 200m backstroke)
Jessica Hardy (50m, 100m breaststroke)
Christine Jennings (10km, 25km)
Breeja Larson (100m, 200m breaststroke)
Micah Lawrence (200m breaststroke)
Katie Ledecky (200m, 400m, 800m 1500m freestyle)
Caitlin Leverenz (200m individual medley)
Christine Magnuson (50m butterfly)
Becca Mann (5km, 10km)
Simone Manuel (50m freestyle, 4x100 free relay)
Jordan Mattern (4x200 free relay)
Elizabeth Pelton (100m, 200m backstroke)
Megan Romano (4x100m free relay)
Chloe Sutton (400m, 800m freestyle)
Dana Vollmer (100m butterfly)
Shannon Vreeland (100m freestyle, 4x200m free relay)
Head Men’s Coach: Bob Bowman
Head Women’s Coach: Dave Salo
Head Open Water Coach: Catherine Vogt