Katie Ledecky staunchly defended her 800-meter freestyle title on Saturday at the world championships in Singapore, securing her seventh consecutive win in the event. She outpaced Canada’s Summer McIntosh, who led a pack of young contenders eager to dethrone her.
With these seven world victories, Ledecky ascended to the top of the charts for most wins in a single event, surpassing her previous record of six victories in the 1500 free, and Sweden’s Sarah Sjöström’s six wins in the 50 free.
Ledecky said she didn’t feel too much pressure coming into this race, satisified with how she’s been training all year.
“It’s been an incredible season, and going into tonight, regardless of the outcome, I was going to be truly satisfied with my season,” Ledecky said. “By lifting the pressure, I was able to enjoy the race and cherish the moment.”
Ledecky set the pace early in the race, with McIntosh remaining in close pursuit.
The young Canadian then took a brief, 0.14-second lead after 700, with Ledecky’s dominance appearing to teeter.
But the veteran found another gear in the final two laps, rallying past McIntosh who fell to third behind Australia’s Lani Pallister.
Ledecky clocked in at 8:05.62, Pallister at 8:05.98 and McIntosh 8:07.29. It was by far, the closest worlds win of Ledecky’s seven at the 800 free.
“That last 100 was pretty stressful,” Ledecky said. “Lani was and Summer was right there.”
Ledecky, who is also the niece of New York Islanders co-owner Jon Ledecky, has been dominant in the 800 free at the Olympics, earning gold in London 2012, Rio 2016, Tokyo 2021, and last summer near Paris.
She holds the distinction of being the only woman to win the same individual event at four Olympic Games, across all sports. The only other swimmer to achieve such a four-peat is the renowned Michael Phelps, who won the 200 individual medley in 2004, 2008, 2012, and 2016.
At age 28, Ledecky was the field’s oldest swimmer and she outdueled her youngest and most fierce competitor, the 18-year-old Toronto native McIntosh.
Ledecky’s air of 800 invincibility was dented last year when a 17-year-old McIntosh beat the American at the Southern Zone South Sectional Championships in Orlando, Florida, on Feb. 8.
The Canadian prodigy opted against swimming in the 800 in France to concentrate on other events. She took gold in the 200 butterfly, 200 Individual Medley and 400 Individual Medley to become one of the breakout stars of last summer.
If McIntosh takes on the 800 free in Los Angeles, Saturday’s race was a tantalizing preview of what could be in store for 2028.
