Katie Ledecky wins seventh title in Mesa to kick off Arena Pro Swim meet

Katie Ledecky earned her seventh title in three years at Skyline Aquatic Center on Wednesday, winning the 1,500-meter freestyle on opening night of the Arena Pro Series swim meet.

Ledecky, 18, is world record holder in the 1,500 so her winning by more than 40 seconds was not unexpected. Her time of 15 minutes, 42.23 seconds was well off her record (15:28.36, set in 2014) but still the fifth fastest in history.

"Honestly there just wasn't much pop for anything tonight, but it was really good for me to swim it just because I haven't raced in two months," Ledecky said. "It sort of shook the cobwebs off and got a jump on the meet."

Ledecky also is entered in the 100, 200, 400 and 800 freestyles and 400 IM in a meet that continues through Saturday. She is a two-time winner here in the 200, 400 and 800 free. The 1,500 free is a new addition to the women's program this year.

"There was no grand expectations of it being something fantastic," said Ledecky's coach Bruce Gemmell of Nation's Capital Swim Club. "Sometimes it takes her a little while to get her racing pacing back. Sometimes she's all over the place her first couple of races after a layoff like that."

Ledecky last swam long course at the Arena Pro Series meet in Austin, Texas, in January.

"I felt pretty good," said Ledecky, who came here from training at altitude in Colorado Springs. "I think I was pretty consistent. I do know my 500 splits and I got slower so that's not ideal, but it's OK."

Kristel Kobrich, a three-time Olympian from Chile, was second in 16:26.95 followed by 13-year-old Madelyn Donohoe in 16:44.01.

In the only other final Wednesday, Marcelo Acosta of El Salavador/University of Louisville won the men's 800 free in 8:10.85 on a windy evening. Nick Norman was second and Daniel O'Connor third.