Americans set a relay world document in swim worlds in Singapore and Ledecky wins once more

SINGAPORE (AP) — The Americans set a world relay document and piled up three gold medals Saturday in what’s been an in any other case irritating swimming world championships for them.

And on the coronary heart of the turnaround on the next-to-last day of the worlds in Singapore was none aside from 28-year-old Katie Ledecky, essentially the most adorned feminine swimmer in historical past.

Despite the world document within the blended freestyle 4×100 relay — 3 minutes, 18.48 seconds — the story was Ledecky remaining unbeaten within the 800 freestyle.

She first received that race within the 2012 Olympics and has by no means misplaced since in a significant competitors.

Perhaps for the primary time in her profession, Ledecky was given solely a 50-50 shot by many to beat the 18-year-old Canadian Summer McIntosh, the star of those worlds with Frenchman Leon Marchand.

McIntosh’s finest time this season was 8:05.07 — simply behind Ledecky’s world mark of 8:04.12 set earlier this 12 months.

After 700 meters, McIntosh of Canada was forward by 0.14 seconds, however she light and Ledecky received in 8:05.62 with Lani Pallister of Australia taking silver (8:05.98). McIntosh (8:07.29) settled for bronze.

McIntosh has received three particular person gold medals in Singapore and was attempting for 5. She will come up brief, although she would be the favourite in Sunday’s 400 particular person medley.

Ledecky stated she was unaware she was trailing and, when requested about it, glanced down at a race-results sheet to verify it.

“I didn’t know,” she stated. “I simply knew it was shut the entire approach. There had been instances the place I believed I used to be simply going to interrupt away. I used to be simply glad I used to be up there.

“You just never know when you dive in what everyone’s tactics are going to be — or what’s going to happen,” she added. “It was fun to just to be in that kind of a race. Just try to make small moves just here and there.”

Ledecky has received 23 gold medals at world championships and 30 total. Add to that 9 Olympic gold medals and 14 Olympics medals total. If you’re counting, that 44 Olympic and world medals.

McIntosh, who received three gold medals within the Paris Olympics, hates dropping and he or she confirmed it afterward together with her feedback. They had been brief and proper to the purpose.

“Obviously, that’s not even close to what I wanted; time-wise, place-wise, how I executed the race. Nothing,” she stated.

In different outcomes

Gretchen Walsh of the United States received the 50 butterfly in 24.83 seconds for her second particular person gold of the worlds. Earlier within the worlds she received the 100 fly. Alexandria Perkins of Australia claimed silver (25.31) with bronze for Roos Vanotterdijk of Belgium (25.43).

“It feels great to be like myself again in the water after kind of a rocky week,” stated Walsh, referring to the “ acute gastroenteritis ” that the Americans have battled in Singapore following a coaching camp in Thailand.

“Two-time world champion. Can’t complain with that,” Walsh added.

Paris Olympic 50-free gold medalist Cameron McEvoy of Australia repeated his title within the worlds, profitable in a fast 21.14. Ben Proud of Britain was the silver medalist (21.26) and American Jack Alexy took bronze (21.46).

Defending champion and world-record holder Kaylee McKeown of Australia received gold once more, taking the 200-meter backstroke in 2:03.33. American Regan Smith took her fourth silver medal in Singapore (2:04.29) with bronze for American Claire Curzan (2:06.04).

Maxime Grousset of France picked up his second gold, taking the 100 butterfly in 49.62, simply off the world document of 49.45 by American Caeleb Dressel. Noe Ponti of Switzerland took silver (49.83) with bronze for Canadian Ilya Kharun (50.07). Grousset additionally received the 50 fly.

The document

It was solely the second world document set in these championships. It got here on an evening when the United States received three gold medals, by far its finest efficiency in what had been a lackluster championships for the team.

The relay group members had been: Alexy, Patrick Sammon, Kate Douglass and Torri Huske.

The Americans how have eight gold medals, one forward of Australia with the championships closing on Sunday. The Americans have 26 total and Australia has 17 total.

The solely different document set within the meet got here earlier within the week with Marchand shattering the 200 IM document (1:52.69). He’ll attempt to break his personal 400 IM document on Sunday, a mark of 4:02.50 set within the 2023 worlds in Fukuoka, Japan.

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