*Kazan:* Katie Ledecky of the United States admitted she was shocked after breaking her own 1,500m freestyle record in the heats of the world swimming championships in Kazan yesterday.*Katie Ledecky smiles after setting a new world record in the women's 1500m freestyle heats at the Kazan Arena yesterday. Pic/Getty Images*
The 18-year-old, who also holds the 400m and 800m records, clocked 15min 27.71sec to better the 15:28.36 secs she swam at the Pan-Pacific Games in August last year.
"My coach told me to swim the first 900m easy, build over the next 300, then the final 300 was my choice and to be honest, it felt pretty easy," said Ledecky, who came within a second of her 400m record on Sunday.
"I wasn't kicking much and I think breaking the world record is testament to the hard work I have put in and the shape I am in right now. I am pretty shocked that I was able to do that."
Ledecky only recently finished high school in Maryland, but this is the eighth time the teenager has set a world record in her fledgling career.
It is the fourth time the defending champion has broken the 1,500m record alone having first achieved the feat in Barcelona two years ago on her way to winning the world title. This is the second world record to fall in Kazan after Sweden's Sarah Sjostrom feat in the women's 100m butterfly heats on Sunday. Reported by Mid-Day 13 hours ago.