That allowed Chad le Clos of South Africa to stunningly win gold in an event that Phelps had dominated for the better part of a decade.
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The second gold medal was in the 4×200-meter freestyle relay, for which he was Team USA’s anchor. Michael Phelps, a 21-time Olympic gold medalist, called Ledecky a “stud”, and 21-year-old swimmer Ryan Held said of his teammate, “She’s obviously in a league of her own”.
American swimmer Katie Ledecky has won yet another Olympic gold, taking first place at the women’s 200m freestyle final. If she wins gold, Ledecky will join Debbie Meyer (1968) as just the second female in Olympics history to win three individual freestyle gold medals in the same Games.
Defending Olympic champion Ranomi Kromowidjojo also advanced, along with Canada’s Penny Oleksiak, Simone Manuel of the United States and Sarah Sjostrom of Sweden.
Britain’s Siobhan-Marie O’Connor took silver, with Maya DiRado of the US winning a bronze to add to her silver in the longer distance. I came out tonight and took the first 50 easy and came back with everything I have got. I’m just so happy I didn’t mess it up and I gave Katie a chance.
Ledecky goes first in the 200 meter freestyle, which is scheduled for 9:19 p.m., and Phelps follows at 9:28 p.m.in the 200 meter butterfly.
Franklin was the darling of the London Games, a high schooler who captured four gold medals and the hearts of everyone back home with her bubbly personality. Her brother, Michael Ledecky, a former swimmer himself, now serves as a litigation specialist at Bancroft PLLC.
Ledecky, the rising US swimming sensation, shaved 1.91 seconds off her own World record on the way to the 400m gold, the first stage of a rare treble she hopes to complete along with the 200m and 800m.
“I’m so exhausted I can’t even think straight”, Phelps said an hour later.
Ledecky touched in 1 minute, 53.73 seconds.
Australia’s Emma McKeon took the bronze with a time of 1:54.92. “I took it pretty fast and forced everyone and once I was ahead I was not going to let it out of my hands”.
Hosszu, nicknamed the “Iron Lady” could add another gold to her tally when she competes in the 200-meter backstroke.
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“It’s so hard knowing all the work you put in everyday and then to get here and be so far behind where you feel like you can be”, she said, her eyes tearing up.
