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U.S. OLYMPIC SWIM TRIALS

June 29, 2016

Katie Ledecky

Omaha, Nebraska

THE MODERATOR: We're joined by 200 Meter Freestyle Champion Katie Ledecky. Her second event of the week. Katie, did you want to give a brief comment about making the team in another event?

KATIE LEDECKY: Yeah, felt really good to get my hand on the wall first tonight. I knew it would be a tough race so I just wanted to get the job done. It was a really fast field. Pretty close friends with all those people in that heat, so I think it was just a great race, and I know we're all looking forward to the relay in Rio, and Missy and I will have the individuals to look forward to as well.

Q. Can you talk about the 200, 400 and 800 in Rio? People are talking about you and what hasn't been done since Debbie Meyer in 1968 and the historic implications and if that's going to be a stretch for you.
KATIE LEDECKY: I don't think it's going to be a stretch. I've swum them numerous times at different meets, and at World Championships last year swimming the 200 through the mile, it was great preparation, and take the mile out and throw some relay duties in and it's, I think, setting me up well for a good meet.

Obviously I still have a lot of racing left this week and taking nothing for granted. Just going to race hard the rest of the week and try to improve between the end of this meet and Rio and get ready for some fast swimming there.

Q. Are you then, more, chasing Shane Gould's?
KATIE LEDECKY: I don't think about who I am chasing or any of the historical implications or anything; that's your job. My job is to swim fast in the pool and do the best that I can.

Q. Katie, you talked afterward about what a tough cookie Missy is, but what was it like for you to see Allison make the team?
KATIE LEDECKY: Allison, too; I'm really proud of her and how she as come back firing. I can't wait to be on a relay with her. I haven't been on a relay with her yet, and I think it's just going to be great. I'm really happy with the team that's coming together right now, and I think we're all just going to have a lot of fun.

Q. Katie, you were asked out there in the Mixed Zone about the world record in the 200, and you said that you know what it is, so you're obviously aware of it. Do you have any sense of, like, what it would take for you to get into the 1:52s in that, or to take aim at that? What sort of time frame that could take you to get that fast?
KATIE LEDECKY: I don't know. I mean, I think as I said out there, the biggest thing this year is just racing with that event. It's such a fast race, so many people that have done 1:54s this year, but then again, last year showed that it could just be about racing and the time doesn't really matter. The time wasn't that fast last year. I was 1:55.1 to win it, so it's mostly about racing. Yeah, I would like to go faster, but I think the racing will take care of the time this year.

Q. Katie, seeded fourth in the 100 Free, and if that goes well, you will be on the 400 Free Relay. In that regard, it looks like all your races you are going out preparing yourself for the 100 Free.
KATIE LEDECKY: We were walking back here and Bruce was like, come on, the clock is ticking, I have 12 hours to teach you how to swim a 100 Free, but I think I've shown him this week that I have a little bit of speed, and I think I'm ready for the 100 tomorrow. It should be, again, great racing, a lot of fun, then I have the 800, so just taking one event at a time.

Q. I would like to know if you had a strategy for the 200 and which one was it?
KATIE LEDECKY: Just go out fast and bring it home fast! I mean, I have swum it differently, I feel like, a couple times, but I'm sure the splits have been pretty much the same. A couple times I've been 1:54s, so it's all about racing. It's about getting out there and getting your hand on the wall first or second, or in the case of the 200, first through sixth, so that was the main goal and there wasn't anything really specific beyond just going out and racing it.

Q. What do you remember last year in the final in Kazan against Federica Pellegrini? For you in Rio will it be the same race?
KATIE LEDECKY: Yeah, it will be some of the same faces, plus or minus a couple of swimmers, so I think I just need to be ready for anything, and everybody swims the race a little differently, but at the end of the day it will come down to the last 20, 25 meters, last five meters, who can get their hand to the wall first. I'm really looking forward to swimming against a terrific field in Rio, and it should be a really great race.

Q. Four years ago as you were watching all the events unfold in London before yours, could you imagine that you would be in a relay at the next Olympics?
KATIE LEDECKY: Yeah, I could. That was a goal of mine. One of my first goals after London was to make the relay in Barcelona at Worlds, and obviously each year you always want to requalify for that relay.

So just, yeah, watching all the races in London I was inspired by all my teammates and wanted to get in there and race, and it's pretty cool now that I will be a lot busier in Rio and won't get the opportunity to cheer that much in the stands, but I know I will still be inspired by everybody else and it should be a great team, great meet, moving forward.

Q. Katie, now that you are the most dominant woman in swimming in the world, are you prepared or are you willing to make a demand or a statement that they bring the 1,500 to the women as an Olympic event?
KATIE LEDECKY: I would love for them to. I just swim whatever they have in the meet. I don't know how much of a say I would be able to have on that. I think the one thing is just with the history of the 800, that the 800 should still be in the Olympics, and they should add the 1,500 for the women and the 800 for the men, but, again, all I'm focusing on is the races I have in front of me this week and then in Rio, and obviously it's not going to change before Rio.

Honestly, I think just having the 800 has allowed me to focus a little more on the 200 and the 100, so, you know, you take it where you can get it.

THE MODERATOR: Katie Ledecky will be in the 100 Free tomorrow morning. The first event of the morning.

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