Katie Ledecky completes history-making double

Katie Ledecky making history. Let us know if you’ve heard that one before.

The Olympic champion kicked off her history-making double last night with the 200 freestyle. Her 1:55.11 was just off of her season-best 1:54.40 but was enough for her to make the Olympic team in the event.

.@arschmitty takes second to secure her spot to become a 4️⃣-time Olympian!@USASwimming | #SwimTrials21 x #TokyoOlympics pic.twitter.com/7iTDbRU10g

— #TokyoOlympics (@NBCOlympics) June 17, 2021

The Olympic gold medalist in the event in 2012, Allison Schmitt, touched in second to make her fourth Olympics. With 2008 Olympic champion Federica Pellegrini also swimming the event in Tokyo, it marks the first time that an individual event will have the past three Olympic champions all competing against one another on the Olympic stage. 

Roughly 85 minutes later, Ledecky was back in the pool again to complete the grueling double. This time, making history as the first-ever Olympic Trials winner in the 1500 freestyle. She easily dominated the field, touching in at a time of 15:40.50 good for fastest in the world this year.

Did you know @katieledecky’s broken the world record in the 1500m free SIX times?

Well now she’s heading to its Olympic debut!@USASwimming | #SwimTrials21 x #TokyoOlympics pic.twitter.com/YG81aEpnfQ

— #TokyoOlympics (@NBCOlympics) June 17, 2021

Despite Ledecky’s history-making performance, the women’s 200 IM might have been the most exciting race of the night. Three swimmers all finished within four hundredths of one another as Alex Walsh managed to get her hand on the wall first to earn a spot in Tokyo with a time of 2:09.30. It’s the closest Olympic Trials finish in history. 

What. A. Race!

Alex Walsh earns her spot to Tokyo in a photo finish! 📸@USASwimming | #SwimTrials21 x #TokyoOlympics pic.twitter.com/MxVKnrYll2

— #TokyoOlympics (@NBCOlympics) June 17, 2021