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SPORTS Monday 13 august 2018

Ledecky to tackle all 4 distances in Tokyo _ 200 to 1,500

By STEPHEN WADE
AP Sports Writer
TOKYO (AP) — They’ve
added a new swimming
event to the 2020 Tokyo
Olympics — the 1,500 me-
ter freestyle — and Katie
Ledecky plans to be racing
it.
This could pose a prob-
lem, even for the five-time
Olympic champion and 14-
time world champion.
She won the 200, 400, and
800 two years ago in Rio de
Janeiro. Now add to that
the 1,500. So is Ledecky
planning to perhaps drop
the 200, maybe her weak-
est race, and focus on the
longer distances?
She lost the 200 a few days
ago in the Pan Pacific
Championships, her only
blemish on a strong show-
ing this week in the Japa-
nese capital.
“I don’t anticipate trying
to drop any of them,” she
said Sunday after winning
the 1,500 at the Pan Pacs
on the final day of the four-
day meet.
The meet serves as a dress
rehearsal for the Olympics
in two years and is the big-
gest meet of the year for Katie Ledecky of the U.S., checks her time after the women’s 1500m freestyle timed final during the Pan Pacific swimming
championships in Tokyo, Sunday, Aug.12, 2018.
swimmers from the Pacific Associated Press
region.
Certainly Ledecky won’t “I think I’m very experi- on the Asian Games, which that’s two blocks away.” 200 breaststroke.
drop the 1,500. Her time of enced swimming those open in a few days in Ja- Murphy said he’s worn the Cate Campbell of Austra-
15 minutes, 38.97 seconds, events,” she said. “I think I karta, Indonesia. same socks to major meets lia completed her double,
was the 10th fastest in his- know how to manage my The meet was extra impor- for the past four years, and winning the 50 freestyle in
tory. She now owns nine races and manage my en- tant for American Ryan always eats a peanut but- 23.81. She won the 100 on
of the top 10 times in that ergy.” Murphy. He took the 200 ter and jelly sandwich with Friday. The Australian has
event — and the world re- The United States was over- backstroke in 1:53.57, edg- a banana and Greek yo- bounced back after a dis-
cord. powering in the pool at ing Japanese Ryosuke Irie gurt as his preferred snack appointing Olympics two
“It’s something that makes the Pan Pacs — especially in 1:55.12 and American before every meet. years ago in Rio de Janeiro,
training really challeng- on the final day. The meet Austin Katz in 1:56.00. Mur- “It works for me,” he said. a comeback she attributes
ing and exciting for me wraps up Tuesday with the phy also won the 100 back- “It might not work for every- partly to taking a year off
to compete in the shorter outdoor distance events. stroke earlier in the meet. one, but I like it. I’ve talked from competitive swim-
races,” she said. “So I have The Americans won 18 gold “It was nice to be in Tokyo, to the nutritionist and he ming.
no plans of dropping any- medals, ahead of Australia and I really wanted to have said it’s OK.” Ippei Watanabe of Japan,
thing. Plans could change, with eight and Japan with a good meet here,” Mur- Other American winners the world record-holder
but I think I still have a lot in six. The Americans also led phy said. “You know, I’m a on Sunday included Kath- in the 200 breaststroke,
me.” the overall medal table little superstitious. Hopefully leen Baker in the 200 back- delighted local fans with
As a trial for Tokyo, Ledecky with 43. this bodes well for me lead- stroke, Zane Grothe in the his win in that event. He
is likely to swim all four next China, the Pacific’s oth- ing into 2020. Swimming 800 freestyle, Michael An- clocked 2:07.75 to set a
year in the world champi- er swim power, largely well in a pool here, I think drew in the 50 freestyle, meet record. His world re-
onships in South Korea. skipped the meet to focus I can swim well in a pool and Micah Sumrall in the cord is 2:06.67.q