Katie Ledecky showed the up-and-comers who is still the boss.
Ledecky won the 800 meters on Saturday at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, fending off challenges from 18-year-old rising star Summer McIntosh of Canada and Australia’s Lani Pallister, to continue her 13-year dominance in the distance.
The 28-year-old Ledecky posted her fourth-fastest time ever at 8:05.62 but found herself trailing McIntosh at the 700m mark before overtaking the Canadian and holding off a late charge from Pallister, 23.
Ledecky’s time was a world-championship record. Pallister finished at 8:05.98 to become the only woman other than Ledecky or McIntosh with a time below 8:10 in the 800. McIntosh swam the race in 8:07.29.
With the victory, Ledecky became the first swimmer to win seven world titles in the same race. She also has four Olympic gold medals at the distance and is expected to seek to add to her haul in the Los Angeles Games in 2028.
“It’s been a really great season, and I think coming into tonight, no matter what the outcome was, I was going to be really happy with my season,” Ledecky said on Peacock after the race. “I think that just took the pressure off and allowed me to enjoy the race and kind of appreciate that moment.”
The victory represents her 23rd world championship and 30th medal. She is second to only Michael Phelps in both, who has 26 and 33, respectively.
“That last 100 was pretty stressful,” Ledecky said. “You don’t want to push it too early. … I was just putting everything I had into it.”
She will take a short break.
“I’m going to try to take a breather now and reset and get back to work,” she said. “Because I’ve got a lot of work to do.”
Ledecky also won the 1,500-meter freestyle earlier this week.
Also Saturday, American Gretchen Walsh won her second gold medal this week with her victory in the 50-meter butterfly in a time of 24.83. Kaylee McKeown of Australia won the 200m backstroke in 2:03.33.
The U.S. set a world record in winning the mixed 4×100-meter freestyle with a time of 3:18.48. Jack Alexy, Patrick Sammon, Kate Douglss and Torri Huske accomplished the feat.
–Field Level Media
–Field Level Media
