Ledecky Extends 1,500 Freestyle Streak to 16 Years as U.S. Sets Mixed Medley World Record
Katie Ledecky held off Australia's Lani Pallister in 15:36.09 at the Pan Pacific Championships in Irvine, her closest 1,500 freestyle finish in 13 years. Later the same session, a U.S. quartet lowered the mixed medley relay world record to 3:36.70.
Katie Ledecky won the 1,500 metre freestyle at the Pan Pacific Championships in Irvine on August 12 in 15 minutes 36.09 seconds, extending a winning streak in the event that now runs 16 years, per NBC Sports.
The margin is the news as much as the result. Australia's Lani Pallister pushed Ledecky to her closest finish in the 1,500 in 13 years, in a meet where Pallister had already edged Summer McIntosh in the 200 freestyle.
The United States also took the mixed medley relay world record in the same competition. Will Modglin, Van Mathias, Gretchen Walsh and Kate Douglass combined for 3:36.70, lowering the previous mark of 3:37.43 set by an American team in 2024. Mathias split 57.30 on the breaststroke leg.
The championships run August 12 to 15 in Irvine, California, so both marks were set in the meet's opening days and the schedule still has several finals sessions to come.
Ledecky won the 1,500 freestyle in 15:36.09, extending a winning streak in the event that dates back 16 years. Will Modglin, Van Mathias, Gretchen Walsh and Kate Douglass then swam 3:36.70 in the mixed medley relay, bettering the previous world record of 3:37.43 set by an American team in 2024.
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Sources
- NBC Sports: Pan Pacific Championships swimming 2026 results
- NBC Olympics via KTVZ: Ledecky extends 1500m freestyle streak; U.S. gets relay world record
Also reported by NBC Sports, Yahoo Sports. Independent coverage of the same development, found by search; not this story's sources.
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