American star swimmer Katie Ledecky overtook Michael Phelps’ record for the most individual world swimming medals in a career after capturing her 16th gold medal on Saturday. Ledecky also made swimming history by winning six straight world championships in the same event.
The 26-year-old won the 800-meter freestyle in a time of 8:08.87, giving her her 16th world title at the 2023 global Aquatic Championships in Fukuoka, Japan. She beat Chinese competitor Li Bingjie, who came in second, by 4.44 seconds.
Here are the major factors that the best swimmers in the world, like Katie Ledecky, keep in mind to enhance their speed and endurance and break records.
1. Body Position
Swimmers like Katie Ledecky, Summer McIntosh, and Ariarne Titmus have given much emphasis on their body positions to ensure that their drag remains as low as possible. Swimmers tend to keep their heads towards the bottom of the pool, below the water level. This helps them keep their shape and prevents their technique from falling apart.
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2. Pull (EVF)
The Early Vertical Forearm pull, which is essential for increasing propulsion and efficiency, is excellent in all three swimmers. Swimmers should consider keeping their hand, wrist, and forearm in line as they pull to start EVF in their stroke. They should keep their elbow elevated and point their fingers downward as they begin to pull, then retract.
3. Rhythm & Breathing
It’s crucial to establish a rhythm in the stroke when swimming for distances since it enables swimmers to maintain their race pace for longer. While Ariarne uses a more symmetrical stroke and breathes every two to four strokes, Katie and Summer both swim with a “gallop” stroke.
4. Not Kicking
In contrast to sprinting, distance swimming doesn’t require the same kind of forceful, speedboat kick. The energy reserves may be depleted if swimmers kick too hard too soon because it works some of their largest muscles. Instead, they can consider using their kick to propel the rotation and maintain the proper alignment of the hips.
