She began the leg nearly a full second behind Australia but made it up and then some to win by 1.84 seconds, powering to the fastest split of the field by.9.
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Ledecky turned in a split of 1 minute, 53.74 seconds, which was almost 2½ seconds faster than her next-fastest teammate, Allison Schmitt in 1:56.21. In a neck-and-neck race through the first three legs, Australia had actually passed United States swimmer Maya DiRado in the third leg, making a USA gold look like an uphill battle.
“That was so much fun”, Ledecky said. I think when we race, we bring each other to a different level.
– Brazil finally got going in men’s football, crushing Denmark 4-0 for its first win to reach the quarter-finals.
Meanwhile, Ranomi Kromowidjojo of the Netherlands will try to defend her sprint title.
In contrast, Indian contingent’s tally from the 33 Olympic Games it has participated in is: 9 golds, 6 silvers and 11 bronze medals.
Lochte will be swimming in the 200-meter individual medley, one of his best events at the Olympics.
The two American powerhouses will duke it out again during the final race on Thursday, so no medals were given out this round – at least on the men’s side of the pool! But Lochte beat Phelps at the 2011 world championships – Lochte’s favorite 200 IM race, of course – and set the world record in the event while doing so.
Phelps and Lochte have each medaled in the 200 IM in the last three Olympics.
Johnson and Boomer were in the stands to watch Phelps, 31, earn the gold in Tuesday’s 4×200 men’s relay, and, earlier, in the men’s 200-meter butterfly.
Another victory would be Phelps’ 22nd career gold. Kristin Armstrong won her third gold medal for the women’s time trial at age 42.
In a dramatic finale the 19-year-old American produced a starting anchor leg of 1 min 53.74 secs – more than a second faster than any other competitor – to overhaul Australia’s Tamsin Cook and blast the U.S. relay quartet, which also comprised Allison Schmitt, Leah Smith and Maya Dirado, to an emphatic win.
Missy Franklin, a star at the 2012 London games, was replaced by Maya DiRado – a decision the coaches thought was best for the team. On Wednesday, she entered the pool during the 4x200m relay final with a deficit.
“I really don’t care about Phelps or Lochte. Not my name, but gymnastics, which should be as swimming is with [Michael] Phelps and athletics is with Usain Bolt”, – Uchimura unsure about the comparisons to a couple of the world’s most famous athletes. “I am so proud to be a medalist for two Olympiads”. He’ll try to become the first swimmer, male or female, to win the same event in four straight Olympics. But Balandin was right with him on the outside, and Koseki couldn’t keep up the pace. Russia’s Anton Chupkov landed the bronze in 2:07.70, with Koseki fading to fifth. He finished second in his heat to 21-year-old Joseph Schooling of Singapore (51.41). Not only did she make up the difference by the end of the first leg, over the next 150 meters, she stormed ahead of Australia.
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One last chance to step onto the podium by himself and not with relay teammates. The Australian settled for the silver, just three-hundredths of a second behind. Japan’s Natsumi Hoshi claimed the bronze, beating out Cammile Adams of the United States.
