Ledecky, on the other hand, cruised into the final as the second-fastest qualifier, with a time of 1 minute, 54.81 seconds – almost 3 seconds faster than Franklin. She has already won the 400m version of the discipline in world record time. We’re sure to see plenty more of that smile of hers as the games progress since we doubt this will be the last time she steps up onto that podium! “I had been so close to breaking that all year and the past two years”. I knew I was the big favorite.
Advertisement
“The swim was nearly identical to this morning, but with a bit more pop on the last lap”. Now, he’s got his first medal.
She also confirmed that she says a “Hail Mary” before each event. “It was only a matter of how fast she was going to go”.
Chad le Clos of South Africa, who beat Phelps for gold in this event in 2012, will join Phelps in the same semifinal heat after posting 1:55.75.
Biles, a record-shattering gymnast with a sparkling smile and bubbly energy that shines through her routines, is the US gymnastics team fan favorite and the gymnast to beat for any chance at the gold. It fueled her fire to make the team, which she did in the 800m freestyle.
Ledecky, who now has set a new world record for the event three times, spent time in Atlanta training for the Summer Olympics. At the 2013 World Championships in Barcelona, she broke two world records, one for the 800-meter freestyle, the other for the 1500-meter. Peaty can now add an Olympic gold to his World and European titles. The 2012 Olympic gold medallist Chad Le Clos took third while American great Michael Phelps, after winning his 19th Olympic gold in the 4x100m freestyle relay Sunday, eased through in fifth.
No one can foretell the future of Ledecky because she is unpredictable, very young and already impervious to the severity of high-level swimming competitions. Franklin finished in seventh place in the 100-meter backstroke at the trials (one of the events in which she won gold during the London Olympics) but needed to respond the following day at the 200-meter freestyle. Still, she said she was proud of the effort the squad displayed.
Another swimmer to break their own world record was Britain’s Adam Peaty in the 100m breaststroke.
Advertisement
In a hallway beneath the Olympic Aquatics Stadium, Missy Franklin was surrounded by the media after her first race of the Rio de Janeiro Games.
