Swimming fans witnessed history in Fort Lauderdale as American legends Katie Ledecky and Gretchen Walsh lit up the pool with jaw-dropping world records during the Tyr Pro Swim Series finale on Saturday.
Katie Ledecky, already a household name in the sport, broke her own 800m freestyle world record — a mark many believed would stand the test of time. She clocked in at 8:04.12, bettering the 8:04.79 she set at the 2016 Rio Olympics. It marked the sixth time Ledecky has set a new world best in the event since claiming the record from Rebecca Adlington in 2013.
Ledecky’s emotional reaction — pounding the water in disbelief — said it all. This performance capped a dominant week, where she also swam her fastest 400m freestyle in nine years and clocked the second-fastest 1500m freestyle in history. With the World Championships in Singapore (July 11–Aug 3) on the horizon, the 28-year-old is clearly peaking at the perfect time.
In another sensational performance, Gretchen Walsh broke the 100m butterfly world record not once but twice in one day. She first clocked 55.09 seconds in the prelims, beating her previous best of 55.18 from last year’s Olympic trials. But she wasn’t done — in the final, she blasted a 54.60, becoming the first woman ever to swim the event under 55 seconds. Teammate Torri Huske finished well behind in 56.59.
Meanwhile, French Olympic star Leon Marchand, fresh off four golds in Paris, ended the meet winless. His best result came in the 200m individual medley, where he finished second to Shaine Casas — a surprise, considering it was one of Marchand’s gold-winning events just weeks earlier.
From veterans like Ledecky rewriting the record books to rising stars like Walsh breaking barriers, the Fort Lauderdale leg of the Tyr Pro Swim Series delivered a thrilling preview of what’s to come on the global stage.
