Katie Ledecky wins gold in 800m free at swimming world championships

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Katie Ledecky confirmed she remains to be the gold commonplace within the 800 meters freestyle after ending Summer McIntosh’s bid for 5 particular person titles whereas warding off Australian shock bundle Lani Pallister on the world championships on Saturday.

American Ledecky needed to struggle all the way in which in an exhilarating three-way battle to safe her seventh world title within the occasion and twenty third total in a time of 8:05.62 on the Singapore pool.

With three gold medals within the bag and grinding by way of an enormous program, McIntosh mounted a courageous problem and took the lead with 100 meters to go as followers roared within the stands.

But Ledecky discovered one other gear to grab again the lead then rode house with the gallant Pallister (8:05.98) pushing her to the end.

“I kind of figured it was going to be more than just Summer,” stated Ledecky.

“Definitely the fastest field in the 800 ever … I’m happy I could come out on top.”

McIntosh, who completed 1.67 seconds behind Ledecky, had hoped to match Michael Phelps’s feat of profitable 5 particular person gold medals at a single world championships.

But the 18-year-old Canadian can end off a superb marketing campaign with gold within the 400 particular person medley (IM) on the ultimate day on Sunday.

Relay world document

While McIntosh might someday be held in the identical esteem as nine-times Olympic gold medalist Ledecky, Australia’s Kaylee McKeown has already cemented her place as the best backstroker in ladies’s swimming.

The solely girl to win back-to-back Olympic 100 and 200 backstroke golds, McKeown accomplished one other double in Singapore with an emphatic win within the 200.

Once once more it was American Regan Smith seeking to take down McKeown, solely to be reeled in on the final lap because the Australian dominator clocked 2:03.33, the third quickest swim of all time.

It was almost a second higher than Smith (2:04.29), who had taken silver behind McKeown within the 100 and 200 on the Paris Olympics and once more within the 100 in Singapore.

Just like in Paris, McKeown’s win got here straight after compatriot Cameron McEvoy stormed to his second 50 freestyle title in 21.14 seconds, changing into the oldest Australian world champion on the age of 31.

Fastest off the blocks, McEvoy as soon as once more denied Ben Proud (21.26) gold, having overwhelmed the Briton to the Olympic title by a fingertip in Paris precisely a yr in the past.

Leon Marchand and his 200 IM world document was one of many greatest headlines from the Singapore meet however one other Frenchman grabbed the highlight on Saturday.

Maxime Grousset rocketed to his second 100 butterfly world title in 49.62, beating Swiss Noe Ponti and recording the third quickest swim of all-time within the occasion.

Only American world document holder Caeleb Dressel (49.45) has gone quicker.

It was Grousset’s second butterfly title in Singapore, having additionally overwhelmed Ponti for the 50 on day two.

Gretchen Walsh saved the U.S. group medal haul ticking upwards with a dominant victory within the 50 butterfly, including to her 100 title in Singapore.

Touching the wall in 24.83 seconds, Walsh was almost half a second higher than runner-up Alex Perkins, who set an Australian document of 25.31.

There was extra cheer for the United States as Jack Alexy, Patrick Sammon, Kate Douglass and Torri Huske mixed to win the non-Olympic combined 4×100 freestyle gold in a world document time of three:18.83, shaving almost half a second off Australia’s mark from the occasion two years in the past in Fukuoka (3:18.83).

Apart from McIntosh’s 400 IM title bid, there are seven different gold medals on provide in a packed program on the ultimate day.

Marchand, the “French Phelps”, will look so as to add the 400 IM title to his 200 IM gold, whereas German iron man Florian Wellbrock will gun for the 1,500 freestyle title to spice up his bumper haul after sweeping the open water occasions.


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