TORONTO (AP) 鈥� Katie Ledecky is having a great time in her first competitive event of the season at this week鈥檚 FINA Swimming World Cup.
Ledecky set a world record in the 1,500-meter freestyle on Saturday night at the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre.
鈥淚 knew that record was within reach just based on some things I鈥檝e done in training, especially my distance stuff (as it) has felt really good this fall,鈥� Ledecky said. 鈥淪o I felt locked into the pace.鈥�
The 10-time Olympic medalist 鈥� who doesn鈥檛 compete in short-course events very often 鈥� finished in 15:08.24, taking nearly 10 seconds off the previous record set by Germany鈥檚 Sarah Wellbrock (15:18.01) in 2019.
Canada鈥檚 Summer McIntosh, who also set a world junior mark when she edged Ledecky in the 400 free on Friday, finished first in the 400 medley in 4:21.49 to lead a Canadian sweep.
鈥淭hroughout the entire race I felt really in control and strong so I鈥檓 really happy,鈥� she said.
Sydney Pickrem was second in 4:28.45, and Bailey Andison was third in 4:29.36.
McIntosh, a 16-year-old from Toronto, trimmed nearly two seconds off the previous world junior mark set by China鈥檚 Shiwen Ye (4:23.33) in 2012.
Ledecky took gold ahead of Beatriz Dizotti of Brazil (15:48.82) and Laila Oravsky of Canada, who was third in 16:16.86.
鈥淚t鈥檚 just so unreal to be a part of something so amazing,鈥� Oravsky said. 鈥淭hat was the fastest 1,500 that was just swum and I was a part of that. It鈥檚 crazy.鈥�
Maggie Mac Neil of Canada improved her national record in the women鈥檚 50-meter butterfly, finishing first in 24.75 seconds. American Beata Nelson won the women鈥檚 100 backstroke, and Shaine Casas of the U.S. finished first in the men鈥檚 200-meter medley.
One of the biggest roars from the near-capacity crowd came at Ledecky鈥檚 finish. She splashed the water after looking up at the scoreboard to see her world-record time.
鈥淗onestly most of that emotion was just because it hurt a lot,鈥� she said. 鈥淲hen something hurts that much, you want to see a great result like that. It was just mostly happiness.
鈥淚 felt good and I was very pleased with the outcome.鈥�
She returned to the pool a short time later for the 200 free and took silver in 1:52.31 behind Hong Kong鈥檚 Siobhan Bernadette Haughey.
鈥淚 didn鈥檛 have any super type of preparation for this meet,鈥� Ledecky said. 鈥淚 just wanted to come in and race some international swimmers. These meets (Toronto and next week in Indianapolis) are on North American soil so I just had fun with it.鈥�
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