Ledecky wins 800m crown

World record-holder Katie Ledecky booked her place at the World Swimming Championship on Tuesday with a women’s 800-meter freestyle victory on the opening day of the US national championships at Indianapolis.

Nine-time Olympic champion Ledecky, who has won 800 free gold at the past four Olympics and 1,500 free gold in the past two, is a 21-time long course world champion and captured her 31st US crown by taking the 800 in 8mins, 5.76secs. Claire Weinstein was a distant second in 8:19.67.