The American won the women’s 800-meter freestyle final in 8:04.79, beating her own world-record time by almost two seconds to become the second woman in history to win the 200, 400 and 800 freestyle races at the same Olympics.
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After the 2013 world championships, where she won four gold medals and forced a recalibration of her goals with her coach, Bruce Gemmell, she emerged with two new times to shoot for three years down the road in Rio de Janeiro – a 3:56-something in the 400 free, which she nailed with a 3:56.46 on Sunday, and a sub-8:05 in the 800.
Jazz Carlin, left, with gold medallist Katie Ledecky of United States and bronze medalist Boglarka Kapas of Hungary.
On the men’s side, 31-year-old Michael Phelps was denied gold in his final individual Olympic swim but fellow American Anthony Ervin repeated what he started 16 years earlier.
Phelps still has a chance to leave Rio with 23 golds in his career. “I’m numb right now”, – former National Football League star Michael Carter reflects on his daughter Michelle’s shock shot put triumph.
Katie Ledecky became the first swimmer since 1968 to win 200m, 400m and 800m in one Olympic edition.
The 25-year-old was bested by American swimmer Katie Ledecky, who shattered the world record to claim gold with a time of 8:04.79. “We said when we get there, we’re going to medal”, Hernandez said.
So it was odd to see him, after what he insists was his final individual race as an Olympian, crowding onto a medal stand with two other swimmers. “I’m just honored and glad to have that moment and that privilege to race alongside Michael and Chad and all those guys”.
It has been a hugely eventful Olympic judo competition which included the first Olympic medal for Kosovo and some inspirational performances from two Congolese refugee judokas.
Hosszu settled for silver in 2:06.05, and Canada’s Hilary Caldwell took the bronze in 2:07.54.
Ledecky is the defending Olympic champion in the event, according to NBC.
At age 19, she’s both the youngest member of the USA swim team and its most sure-thing victor. France’s Florent Manaudou finished second in 21.41 and American Nathan Adrian took bronze.
Ervin won his first individual gold medal in a dead-heat in the same event with teammate Gary Hall Jr at the 2000 Sydney Games.
“It’s going to be a long time until the next Olympics but I fell really motivated and will really focus on the 50m”.
Turns out, it was swimming all along.
She’s already got a job lined up in Atlanta after the Olympics and made it clear she would be retiring no matter the results.
Ethiopia’s Almaz Ayana stands on the podium after winning the gold medal in the women’s 10,000-meter final during the athletics competitions of the 2016 Summer Olympics at the Olympic stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Friday, . She won by a ludicrous 11 seconds over silver, stealing the show one more time in Rio on a thrilling night in the water as swimming capped its eighth day. I love seeing the way she attacks things.
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Ledecky, who is just 19, now has the 13 quickest times in history over the distance. “She has a very special family, and she’s an incredibly gifted person – with a high, high self-actualization and self-awareness, otherworldly good instincts and intelligence, a gifted physiognomy, plus an incredible drive to be the best”.
