Friis wins 1,500m free at Charlotte Pro Swim

Denmark`s Lotte Friis notched the second-fastest time in the world this year to win the women`s 1,500m freestyle on Thursday at the Charlotte Pro Swim meeting.

Friis`s time of 16min 00.82sec was second only to the 15:42.23 clocked by world record-holder Katie Ledecky in Mesa, Arizona, last month on the 2015 list.

Friis led a sweep by her North Baltimore Aquatic Club team-mates, with Becca Mann second in 16:05.42 and Sierra Schmidt third in 16:23.75.

Friis moved ahead of New Zealand`s Lauren Boyle (16:06.72) in the 2015 rankings.

The Dane, who moved to Baltimore to train under US Olympic great Michael Phelps`s coach Bob Bowman, must still decide if she will make the move with Bowman and Phelps to Arizona, where Bowman has accepted a job coaching Arizona State University.

In the only other race on the opening day of the meeting, US Olympian Connor Jaeger won the men`s 800m freestyle in 8:00.23.

When action resumes Friday, all eyes will be on 18-time Olympic gold medallist Phelps, who is entered in six events this week.

Phelps, who returned to competition last month at the Mesa Pro Series meeting after serving a six-month USA Swimming ban in the wake of his drunk-driving arrest in September, said he wanted to challenge himself with two races a day -- and he will be working hard in the heats not only to qualify but to gain favorable lane positions for the finals.

"I`m not 15 or 18 anymore, where I can just sort of coast through in the morning," said the 29-year-old, who has set his sights on a 2016 Rio Olympics campaign after ending a near two-year retirement that followed the 2012 Games.