Ledecky-led US team using worlds as springboard to LA

Nine-time Olympic gold medalist Katie Ledecky leads a United States swimming team aiming to shore up its global dominance at the world championships in Singapore with an eye already on the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

Ledecky is headed to a seventh world championships on a high note, having lowered her longstanding world record in the 800m freestyle in May — her first long-course world mark since 2018.

She also posted the second-fastest 1,500m free ever this season, and swam the second-best 400m free of her career — all signaling that she remains a force, 13 years on from her breakthrough Olympic gold in the 800m free at London 2012.