Two thousand sixteen was considered to be the peak year in Katie Ledecky’s career. At age 19, she won Olympic gold medals in the 200m, 400m, and 800m freestyle events, obliterating the world records in the latter two to 3:56.46 and 8:04.79, respectively. It was her final meet with her club team at Nation’s Capital Swim Club with coach Bruce Gemmell, and was the end of an unprecedented three year run where she broke 13 world records in that span.

In the nine years since, although she won two more Olympic gold medals in the 800m and 1500m freestyle events, and cemented her status as perhaps the greatest swimmer ever, her world records from her teenage years remained.

In the eyes of many, that was just fine. Although her 400m world record had since been beaten by two different people, her winning times in the 800m and 1500m at the World Championships and Olympics were still faster than anyone had gone before. Her status, if it hadn’t already been mutually agreed upon, as the greatest female swimmer of all-time was safe, no matter how the next few years in her career went as she reached the end of her 20s.

But every great athlete has that one final run that cements their legacy. When all is said and done, they still have a little bit of magic left. For Tiger Woods, it was the 2019 Masters. For Tom Brady, it was the 2020 Super Bowl. For Serena Williams, it was the 2022 US Open.

For Ledecky, that magic was on display this past weekend in Fort Lauderdale at the TYR Pro Swim Series.

When she went 15:24 in the 1500m freestyle on Wednesday night at the newly renovated Hall of Fame pool just across the street from the Atlantic Ocean, it was the start of something special.

On Thursday, against perhaps the best swimmer in the world right now, Summer McIntosh, Ledecky won the 400m freestyle and saw 3:56 on the scoreboard for the first time since the Rio Olympics – a 3:56.81.

“I don’t know if I ever thought I was going to be 3:56 again,” Ledecky said pool-side after the 400m freestyle, choking back tears in the process.

Those swims led to anticipation over how fast she could go in the 800m freestyle. Was a world record possible? Surely not, right? That 8:04 was so far out there that it hadn’t really been thought of to be beaten for generations.

The closest she had been since Rio? 8:07.07 at the 2023 World Aquatics Championships.

Before the last night of finals on Saturday night in Fort Lauderdale, Ledecky visualised what splits she could hold to go 8:04.6.

When she touched the wall after 800 meters, the scoreboard read 8:04.12.

“I can’t stop smiling,” Ledecky said after the 800m. “It’s been like that all week though so it’s not really new. It’s been so many years in the making. To do it tonight, it’s been an incredible night.”

The Pro Series was being held at the newly renovated Hall of Fame pool which was reopened in 2022 after the city of Fort Lauderdale pledged $27 million in renovations back in 2018.

The pool had once been a destination for some of the best aquatic athletes in the world, hosting many of the best swimmers of all-time in their careers. Since the facility first opened in 1965, ten World Records had been set in the facility, from names like Mary T. Meagher to Martin Zubero to more recent names like Natalie Coughlin and Michael Phelps.

Those names are immortalized on the wall outside the facility. Although the pool looks much different now than it did in 2002 when Phelps and Coughlin broke their records, the history stays.

Former ISHOF CEO Brent Rutemiller, who died last year after multiple battles with cancer, was one of the key figures in getting the renovations approved back in 2018, with the vision that the pool would once again host some of the biggest meets in the world.

“All the aquatic sports think of Fort Lauderdale as their second home,” Rutemiller said after the renovations were first approved seven years ago. “There will be a resurgence of events and activities as this venue returns to its world-class status.”

Rutemiller was my boss in my days when I worked with Swimming World Magazine and the International Swimming Hall of Fame. In my first month on the job, I sat in the City Council meeting when they voted yes to the $27 million renovation. I knew the pool was a big deal to people, but that moment changed everything for the future of the relationship between aquatic sports and that city.

You can smell the ocean from the pool deck. It is outdoors in sunny south Florida. There’s an intimate feel on the deck when you’re walking around. The restaurants and hotels are within walking distance of the place. Fast swimmers loved coming there and they showed out big time.

Flash forward seven years later, the pool is once again a destination for fast swimming, just what Rutemiller envisioned.

Ledecky, a connoisseur of swimming history, was well aware of the pool’s aura.

“I saw this morning after Gretchen broke the World Record that there’s a wall where they list all the world records, so I’m excited to be added to that,” Ledecky said after her record-breaking swim.

“My mom swam at the equivalent of NCAAs – AIAW, back in the 70s here. So I know she looked back at some of the old magazines at the Hall of Fame and found her name.”

Ledecky’s world record came just hours after fellow American Gretchen Walsh broke her own record, somewhat surprisingly, in the heats of the 100m butterfly, swimming 55.09 to lower her 55.18 from last year’s Olympic Trials.

After Ledecky swam her 8:04, surely enough, Walsh followed up with another record of her own in finals, becoming the first woman inside 55 seconds in the 100m butterfly at 54.60.

“I didn’t change any part of my race strategy,” Walsh said after becoming the first woman to go 54 seconds. “It was still going to be the goal of 17 strokes on the way out and then one less stroke, hopefully was going to give me more energy coming home because that’s where I always struggled – the last 15m.

“I have found that taking one less stroke has given me that extra energy and I did the exact same thing tonight. I was long into my turn and long into my finish as well, which I am kind of happy about because that means I can go faster.”

Walsh has been on a tear since finishing with the silver medal in the 100m butterfly at last summer’s Olympics, setting nine individual world records at the World Short Course Championships last December, and becoming the first woman inside 47 seconds in the 100 butterfly in short course yards.

Now Walsh has added to her own legacy as the first woman inside 55 in long course, as well as to the Hall of Fame Pool’s legacy as one of the fastest pools in the world.

“I wouldn’t say that I’m not surprised she swam that fast but it wasn’t expected,” Walsh’s coach Todd DeSorbo said. “She hasn’t raced long course since the Olympics, so it’s been ten months.”

In front of a packed house on Saturday night, Walsh and Ledecky reminded the swimming world why the city of Fort Lauderdale was right in resurrecting the facility after it was practically unusable before its facelift.

I sat with Rutemiller in numerous meetings about the future of the facility back in 2019. One of the things he insisted in conversations with sponsors was that the world record wall would remain, no matter what the new facility would look like.

“The history of this pool is important. We have to honor it,” Rutemiller told me numerous times when I worked for him.

The history indeed has stayed, and the next generation is following suit. Rutemiller wasn’t around to see it, but I know he’s smiling down.

 

Contributing: Gregory Eggert

For the first time ever, Greece team topped the podium at a Women’s Water Polo World Cup.

After not medalling at the 2024 Olympics nor the 2024 World Championships and coming in third in the Division 1 Tournament in February few had Greece on their radar as a potential winner. However, the Balkan country quickly asserted itself as a threat in Chengdu, starting with a 19-14 win against Italy in the quarterfinals. This earned them a semifinal berth against The Netherlands, the reigning Olympic bronze medalist. After trailing 6-9 to the Dutch women in the first half, Greece made a spectacular comeback to win 15-13.

In the final, which was Greece’s first in a major international competition since they took silver at the 2004 Athens Olympics, Greece sealed the deal by downing Hungary 13-9. Greek goalie Alexia Tzourka made an impressive 13 saves in this match.

For the Hungarian women, who are the reigning World Championship Silver Medalist, this tournament was a solid showing. Coming into the world cup, Spain seemed to be the team to beat, and Hungary did so in the semifinals. Kamilla Farago led the Hungarians through this slight upset, scoring five goals in a 10-8 final score.

After losing to eventual silver medalists Hungary, Spain also lost in the bronze medal match to the Netherlands 8-10. The Spaniards came in as favorites, topping the Division 1 Tournament earlier in the year and winning gold at the 2024 Olympics.

Greece, Hungary, and 6th place Italy all earned a berth for the 2025 World Championships. All eight teams that competed in the World Cup now have spots in Singapore.

Women’s Water Polo World Cup Final Ranking

1. Greece
2. Hungary
3. Netherlands
4. Spain
5. Australia
6. Italy
7. Japan
8. China

LEWISBURG, Pa.- The Bucknell women’s track & field program has a long history of combining academic and athletic success. The lineage continued with Evelyn Bliss and Kaitlyn Segreti receiving slots on the 2025 Outdoor Track & Field Academic All-Patriot League Team as announced Tuesday by the conference office.

Bliss, a biology major, continued her All-American success on and off the throws course with a 3.25 GPA. The sophomore star repeated as the Patriot League javelin champion last Friday, throwing 53.77m (176-5). Bliss will compete at the NCAA First Round (May 28-31) for the chance to return to the NCAA National Championships (June 11-14). She earned All-American honors last year with a 13th place finish. 

Segreti, an Arts History & Studio Art major, shined in the classroom, obtaining a sparkling 3.98 GPA. A senior walk-on to the cross country and track & field program, Segreti proved an impressive addition and finished seventh in the 10,000-meter run at the 2025 Patriot League Outdoor Championships. She ran 37:33.58 in the event. 

Bucknell women’s track & field will send Bliss and Brylee Tereska to the NCAA First Round. Several other athletes might possibly go depending on marks and times. 

2025 Women’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year

Vera Sjöberg, Boston University, Jr.  

2025 Women’s Outdoor Track & Field Academic All-Patriot League Team 

Lorelei Bangit	(American)
Charlotte Richman	(Army West Point)
Emily Fink	(Army West Point)
Jordan Hecht	(Army West Point)
Mikayla Cheney	(Army West Point)
Zoe Eggleston	(Army West Point)
Alli Lofquist	(Boston University)
Asia Hamilton	(Boston University)
Ijeoma Ezechukwu	(Boston University)
Peace Omonzane	(Boston University)
Vera Sjöberg	(Boston University)
Evelyn Bliss	(Bucknell)
Kaitlyn Segreti	(Bucknell)
Ella Grey	(Holy Cross)
Haley Murphy	(Holy Cross)
Maura Switzer	(Holy Cross)
Ida Moczerniuk	(Lafayette)
Laura Reigle	(Lehigh)
Kylie Maddalena	(Loyola Maryland)
Alex Wercinski	(Navy)
Gracie Emerick	(Navy)

 

• ACTSports launched a boys volleyball program this spring due to increased demand and logistical feasibility.
• While girls volleyball is popular in area high schools, boys volleyball is less common, prompting ACTSports to foster its growth.
• Experienced coaches provided fundamental training, focusing on serving, passing, and setting, leading to significant player improvement.

ACTSports is hoping to grow the sport of boys volleyball in the area. The Christian-based youth sports organization, located in Augusta County just outside of Staunton, offers flag football, soccer, baseball and girls volleyball, but this spring it added boys volleyball.

Tracy Sherrill, the director of ACTSports, said families had been asking about volleyball for boys in recent years. It was something ACTSports wanted to add, but it was a matter of finding court time and coaches. The organization employed a full-time administrative position this year, something that helped ACTSports add a new sport to its offerings.

“It was just the right fit as far as the logistics,” Sherrill said.

Volleyball has been popular in area high schools for years, but only for girls. While the Virginia High School League does sponsor boys volleyball, it’s mostly in larger public schools. According to the Virginia High School League’s page, the organization sponsored two state championships for boys — one for classes 1-4 and one for 5-6.

In Virginia, where boys volleyball, like the girls game, is a fall sport, nearly 30 schools added the sport this past fall when Fairfax County began offering boys volleyball as a varsity-level sport. Before that many of the schools in that Northern Virginia county played boys volleyball as a club sport.

According to statistics from the National Federation of High Schools, boys high school volleyball across the country grew by 7,968 participants in the 2023-24 academic year. It jumped by 10,800 participants the year before that.

Yet, in the Shenandoah Valley, and specifically in Staunton, Waynesboro and Augusta County, schools only offer girls volleyball. Sherrill hopes that ACTSports can play some role in changing that. It starts, she said, with getting boys interested in playing.

Boys volleyball began small this year, something Sherrill said ACTSports does with most of its new programs.

“You start small and you do it well and then you have something people want to be part of,” she said.

This year the organization had nine players sign up. They would like to grow that next year. It’s open to those in grades six through 12. For those interested in playing next spring, visit ACTSports website or its Facebook page for more information.

The group also added a co-ed volleyball program for younger children, second through fourth graders.

“Hopefully we can start exposing volleyball to guys a little younger,” Sherrill said.

Tiffany Eimers and Jenny Turner coached the older boys this spring. Eimers played at American University and has coached at the college level, including Mary Baldwin University. Turner played at Mary Washington and coached in Rockingham County.

Eimers said everyone wants to hit when they start playing volleyball, but the coaches began with the basics — serving and passing — for the athletes this spring.

“Lots of young men have a natural ability to set,” Eimers said. “We had a couple of setters on our team and then we worked into hitting.”

To begin the season, players struggled to get serves over the net, and when they did it was difficult to keep a rally going. In about a month she saw remarkable improvement in their play.

“It would be wonderful if it could grow and flourish,” Eimers said of boys volleyball. “It really is the ultimate team sport. Everybody has to contribute in order for it to work.”

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— Patrick Hite is a reporter at The News Leader. Story ideas and tips always welcome. Connect with Patrick (he/him/his) at phite@newsleader.com and on Instagram @hitepatrick. Subscribe to us at newsleader.com.