Page 15 - aruba-today-20221229

SPORTS Thursday 29 december 2022
A15

Katie Ledecky earns AP female athlete of year for 2nd time

By PAUL NEWBERRY nia, to Gainesville, Florida.
AP National Writer “It’s been a lot of fun every
A change of scenery day,” she said. “This is the
worked out just fine for Ka- right place for me to be
tie Ledecky. at this point in my career.
Shifting coasts and coach- I’m training really well and
es after last summer’s Tokyo learning a lot along the
Olympics, the American way.”
swimmer turned in another The shift to Nesty and a
stellar performance at the program where she usu-
world championships, set ally trains with the men
a pair of world records and seems to have pushed the
capped 2022 as The Asso- 25-year-old Ledecky to
ciated Press Female Ath- even greater heights.
lete of the Year, selected Nesty said one of his main
by a panel of 40 sports writ- challenges is making sure
ers and editors from news Ledecky doesn’t train too
outlets across the country. hard.
Ledecky, who previously “She needs to understand
won the award in 2017, that once you get older,
edged out American track the body is different,” the
star Sydney McLaughlin coach said. “I have to tell
in balloting announced Gold medalist Katie Ledecky of the United States poses with her medal after the Women 800m her, ‘Katie, you’ve got un-
Wednesday. Freestyle final at the 19th FINA World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, Friday, June 24, 2022. derstand you’re not 18 any-
The two tied in total points, Associated Press more.’ The body will get
but Ledecky got the nod tired. When it gets tired, it’s
based on 10 first-place in either of those grueling Ledecky comes when no team where she had com- OK to throttle back a little
votes to McLaughlin’s nine. races. one is cheering her on, peted and trained while bit.”
Basketball standout A’ja At this year’s world aquat- when it’s just her and her earning a psychology de- Moving to Florida has led to
Wilson finished third. ics championships in Bu- coaches and teammates, gree. other changes.
“I know so many great ath- dapest, Hungary, Ledecky putting in the long, lonely Her top priority was getting Always a bit reserved,
letes have won this honor,” touched first in the 800 by hours of training. closer to her family in the Ledecky now seems far
Ledecky said. “I’m really more than 10 seconds and “I might be one of the Washington, D.C., area. more willing to speak up
happy happy with how my won the 1,500 by nearly 15 few swimmers who loves She was intrigued by the even holding her own in
year went, and also excit- seconds. She also claimed the training even more program that Anthony good-natured trash talk
ed about the future.” gold in the 400 free and than the racing,” she said. Nesty, a rising star in the with her male teammates,
Ledecky, who won her first was part of the winning U.S. “Don’t get me wrong: I love coaching ranks, had built according to Nesty.
Olympic gold medal in team in the 4x200 free re- the racing, too. But I truly at the University of Florida. “This group is a very com-
2012 at age 15, has man- lay. enjoy going to practice ev- One of Nesty’s freestylers, petitive group, a fun group
aged to stay on top in fe- Before 2022 was done, ery day. I’m excited when Bobby Finke, surprisingly and, at times, pretty chat-
male freestyle swimming’s Ledecky added two more I go to bed for practice in swept gold in the men’s ty,” he said. “It seems to
longest pool events for the world records to her ledger. the morning.” 800 and 1,500 free at To- have made her pretty
better part of a decade. She set short-course marks Last year, after an Olym- kyo. Another, Kieran Smith, chatty.
She has held the long- in both the 800 and 1,500 a pic performance that was captured an unexpected You’ve gotta be with our
course world record in both week apart even though a slight disappointment by bronze. group. I think our group has
the 800- and 1,500-meter she rarely competes in the her lofty standings, Ledecky So, Ledecky moved nearly kind of made her come out
free since 2013, rarely fac- 25-meter pool. left coach Greg Meehan 2,800 miles (4,500 kilome- of her shell a little bit.”
ing a serious challenge But the real enjoyment for and the Stanford University ters) from Palo Alto, Califor- Ledecky agreed. q

Browns DE Jadeveon Clowney back

from concussion, practicing

BEREA, Ohio (AP) — Cleve- as the Browns (6-9), who games in his third season.
land Browns defensive end were eliminated from post- Stefanski said Wills is “work-
Jadeveon Clowney was season contention with ing through something”
back at practice Wednes- their loss to the Saints, pre- and indicated it’s too early
day after missing one pare to face the Washing- to know if he’ll be avail-
game with a concussion ton Commanders (7-7-1) able to play. James Hud-
while starting left tackle Je- on the road Sunday. son would be an option in
drick Wills Jr. sat out with a Clowney has been slowed Wills is out. Also, Pro Bowl
back issue. Clowney didn’t by an ankle injury and defensive end Myles Gar-
play in last week’s 17-10 the concussion and has rett, left guard Joel Bitonio
loss to New Orleans after just two sacks this season. and wide receiver Amari
sustaining a head injury on Rookie Alex Wright started Cooper were on station-
Cleveland Browns defensive end Jadeveon Clowney during Dec. 17 against Baltimore. in his place last week. ary bikes during the por-
the first half of an NFL football game against the Houston Texans
in Houston, Dec. 4, 2022, in Houston. Coach Kevin Stefanski said A first-round pick in 2020, tion of practice open to
Associated Press Clowney is “getting better” Wills has started all 16 reporters.q