And it's not even a "big" meet

The amazing Katie Ledecky set a world record in the 1500 meter freestyle - at a warm-up meet.  The national championships are still like a month away.

The USA has a lot of great swimmers, but Ledecky is certainly, notably, currently one of the greatest.


Olympic gold medalist Katie Ledecky shatters own world record in 1,500 meters

"The reigning queen of distance swimming began her summer meet schedule by breaking her own world record in the 1,500-meter freestyle by two seconds at the Woodlands Swim Team Senior Invitational Meet in Shenandoah, Tex. — a summer tuneup meet her coach, Bruce Gemmell, added to the schedule because it was convenient."

However, there is more to the story:

"A senior in the fall at Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart, she finished in a time of 15 minutes 34.23 seconds, beating the old mark of 15:36.53. She did it coming down from altitude after spending 18 days at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs with Gemmell and her Nation’s Capital Swim Club teammates."

Though it wasn't planned training-wise, I have a little personal experience with the altitude training effect.  Trust me, the return to sea level oxygen levels makes one feel supercharged. And I think Katie responded to that feeling.