Katie Ledecky passes Michael Phelps for many particular person golds at world championships
FUKUOKA, Japan— Right here’s why Katie Ledecky is likely one of the biggest freestyle swimmers within the historical past of the game. She’s by no means fairly happy.
The 26-year-old American received the 800-freestyle on Saturday on the World Aquatics Championships to turn into the primary swimmer to win six golds in the identical occasion on the worlds. It was additionally her sixteenth particular person world title, breaking a tie with legendary Michael Phelps for essentially the most golds on the worlds.
She’s additionally a seven-time Olympic gold medalist and the file holder in each the 800 and 1,500.
However that successful time — 8 minutes, 08.87 seconds, which is the seventh quickest she’d even swum — wasn’t fairly ok in her favourite occasion.
“I’m simply at all times making an attempt to consider new methods to enhance. I imply I’ve already acquired every thing delivering my head proper now. I form of needed to be higher than I used to be tonight,” she mentioned, twirling her proper hand beside her proper ear, making an attempt to fire up concepts.
“I’m fairly powerful on myself,” she mentioned. “However I believe I’ve discovered the stability of being powerful on myself but additionally having that grace.”
The 800 was Ledecky’s second particular person gold following her win within the 1,500 free on Tuesday. She additionally took silver within the 400 free. Li Bingjie of China took silver in 8:13.31, and Ariarne Titmus of Australia acquired the bronze in 8:13.59.
“It’s enjoyable to go away a meet together with your favourite occasion, and I simply needed to go away all of it within the pool,” Ledecky mentioned.
It was solely the fourth gold for the US within the seventh of eight days within the pool. In the meantime, Australia has been piling it on with 13 golds, matching its finest within the worlds. Australia additionally received three extra golds on Saturday.
The Individuals lead the general desk with 31 medals (16 silver), Australia has 20 and China 13.
Kaylee McKeown of Australia made historical past of her personal with gold within the ladies’s 200 backstroke. McKeown’s victory gave her a sweep of all three backstroke occasions after earlier wins within the 50 and 100. She grew to become the primary swimmer ever to brush all three backstrokes on the worlds.
All of it made up for disqualification earlier within the meet within the 200 IM.
“You may’t change the principles,” she mentioned. “I acquired dominated out. It’s simply the playing cards I used to be handled and I couldn’t do rather more than that. So I simply needed to carry myself the very best I may and channel all my anger and switch an enormous unfavourable right into a optimistic.”
Regan Smith of the US picked up the silver in 2:04.94, whereas Peng Xuwei of China acquired the bronze in 2:06.74.
Sarah Sjoestroem of Sweden continued her dominance with gold within the ladies’s 50-meter butterfly. The 29-year-old received in 24.77 and has now received the occasion 5 consecutive instances on the worlds. The win introduced Sjoestroem’s particular person medals on the worlds to twenty, equaling Phelps’ mark.
Sjoestroem additionally broke her personal file within the 50 freestyle, going 23.61 in a semifinal warmth. Her outdated file was 23.67 set in 2017.
“There should not too many secrets and techniques,” Sjoestroem mentioned to her longevity. “Simply do the work day-after-day, go to follow, and keep humble.”
Zhang Yufei of China, who took gold within the 100 fly, claimed the silver in 25.05, whereas American Gretchen Walsh acquired the bronze in 25.46.
Japanese fan favourite Rikako Ikee completed seventh (25.78) within the 50 fly however was greeted warmly by the house crowd.
The 23-year-old Ikee received six gold medals on the 2018 Asian Video games and was to be a favourite within the Tokyo Olympics. However she was recognized with leukemia in February of 2019. Her comeback continues to resonate with each the Japanese public and her fellow rivals.
Cameron McEvoy of Australia led all the way in which to seize the gold within the males’s 50 free in 21.06. It was his first particular person gold within the worlds or Olympics.
American Jack Alexy collected his second silver of the worlds in 21.57 to go together with his silver within the 100 free. Benjamin Pleased with Britain, final 12 months’s world champion, took the bronze in 21.58.
Dressell received the occasion in Tokyo however didn’t qualify for the American staff, taking a bit break from the game. McEvoy’s time was faster than Dressell’s successful time in Tokyo — 21.07
Maxime Grousset of France received gold within the males’s 100 fly in 50.14. The 24-year-old took the early lead and held on for the victory. Josh Liendo of Canada earned the silver in 50.34, whereas American Dare Rose made the rostrum with the bronze (50.46).
Ruta Meilutyte of Lithuania equaled the world file of 29.30 in her semifinal within the ladies’s 50 breaststroke.
Australia received the 4×100 combined freestyle relay in a world file of three:18.83. The Individuals took the silver in 3:20.82, with Britain getting the bronze in 3:21.68. The relay isn’t an Olympic occasion.
Story by Stephen Wade, Related Press
