The U.S. were the defending champions but only Allison Schmitt, who swam the leadoff leg in Rio, was in the race lineup from that London 2012 golden quartet that also beat Australia into second place. Of course, (Katie) Ledecky, she’s one of a kind so it feels like a gold to me that I’m after her.
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Rio de Janeiro, Aug 11 (IANS) Katie Ledecky powered the USA to victory with a scintillating last leg in the women’s 4x200m freestyle final at the Rio Olympics here. In a neck-and-neck race through the first three legs, Australia had actually passed USA swimmer Maya DiRado in the third leg, making a U.S. gold look like an uphill battle. By the time she came off her first turn though, Ledecky had the U.S.in front, cruising in and finishing her leg in 1:53.74, the fastest of the 32 times registered in the race by almost a second. Both now hold three individual world records (Phelps for the 100- and 200-meter butterfly and the 400-meter individual medley; Ledecky for the 400-, 800-, and 1,500-meter freestyle).
A picture of Katie Ledecky, who took home gold in the 200m women’s freestyle on Tuesday, getting an autograph from Phelps 10 years ago circulated on social media on Tuesday night. This, after Franklin failed to even qualify for the final of the 200 freestyle earlier in the week – a development that left her delving into dark chocolate and calling her mother. “It’s the best thing I can do for my country”.
As for the other medal events on the night, the women’s 200 meter butterfly was one of the closes races yet, as Spain’s Mireia Belmonte edged out Australia’s Madeline Groves.
Lochte will be right next to him again, ranking second in 1:56.28.
Phelps will be seeking his fourth straight 200 IM title at the Olympics.
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She just tied the record for most Stanford medals in a single Olympics. No other country has more than Australia’s seven medals, three of them gold. Japan’s Natsumi Hoshi finished right behind them for the bronze medal. He’s also got a chance to pull off that feat in the 100 butterfly. With the high bar being the final remaining apparatus, Verniaiev appeared poised to win his nation’s first-ever men’s individual all-around gold medal. Simone Manuel of the United States took the second spot, followed by Sarah Sjostrom of Sweden and defending Olympic champion Ranomi Kromowidjojo of the Netherlands.
