American swimming legend Katie Ledecky secured her seventh world title in the women’s 800-meter freestyle on Saturday at the World Aquatics Championships, outlasting Canadian prodigy Summer McIntosh and Australia’s Lani Pallister in a thrilling final.
A Showdown of Swimming Stars
The event was expected to be a high-stakes battle between Ledecky, the dominant force in long-distance swimming, and McIntosh, the 18-year-old challenger aiming to match Michael Phelps’ record of five gold medals at a single world championship.
Earlier in the competition, McIntosh triumphed over Ledecky in the 400-meter freestyle, but Ledecky proved once again why she remains the top swimmer in the longer races.
The race unfolded as a dramatic contest between the three swimmers, with Ledecky, McIntosh, and Pallister pulling ahead of the field. For most of the race, the trio was separated by only a couple of strokes, creating a highly intense finish.
Ledecky Dominates the Final Stretch
Ledecky ultimately triumphed with a championship-record time of 8:05.62, narrowly defeating Pallister, who finished just 0.36 seconds behind in second.
McIntosh rounded out the podium in third place, another 1.31 seconds behind. The results marked an impressive feat, with all three swimmers finishing under 8:10, a remarkable achievement in the event.
“We got three under 8:10 there. That’s pretty incredible,” Ledecky said after the race. “Lani with the 8:05, Summer with the 8:07. That’s incredibly fast and they pushed me all the way. I’m just really happy I could put that together. I just kept telling myself to trust my legs, because I’ve gotten a little better at kicking. So, I brought it home in the end.”
An Incredible Final
The race started at a fast pace, with all three swimmers inside world-record pace at the halfway mark. Despite the blistering speed, Ledecky finished just over a second shy of the record she set in May.
Aside from a brief moment where McIntosh edged ahead with about 100 meters remaining, Ledecky led for nearly the entire race and had enough stamina to fend off any late surges from her competitors.
“I just came in tonight trying to enjoy this as much as I can,” Ledecky added. “I don’t feel like I have anything to lose at this point in my career. I just enjoy it every time I get to walk out in front of a crowd like this and swim against the best in the world.”
Ledecky’s 23rd World Title
This victory marks Ledecky’s second gold medal at the World Aquatics Championships and the 23rd world title of her illustrious career, following her win in the 1,500-meter freestyle earlier in the competition.
McIntosh’s Strong Performance
While McIntosh came in third in the 800-meter freestyle, she has already captured three gold medals at the championships in the 200-meter butterfly, 400-meter freestyle, and 200-meter medley. She will have another chance to claim gold on Sunday when she competes in the 400-meter individual medley.
USA Breaks World Record in Relay
In another thrilling moment on Saturday, Team USA set a new world record in the mixed 4×100-meter freestyle relay. Jack Alexy, Patrick Sammon, Kate Douglass, and Torri Huske finished in 3:18.48, surpassing the previous world record set by Australia in 2023 by 0.35 seconds.
