Phelps will be gunning for his 26th Olympic medal.
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The U.S. trailed through the first three legs of the race, as Sweden, China and then Australia swapped the top spot.
Ledecky’s split of 1 minute, 53.74 seconds crushed all others’ hopes as the United States defended its title in the event by nearly 2 seconds with a time of 7:43.03.
You’ll have to wait one more day to watch Phelps actually swim for the gold, but you can check out his qualifying efforts in the heats and semifinals Thursday.
“I was prepared for any circumstance, whether we were ahead of behind”, Ledecky said.
In the final leg of the relay, Ledecky came from behind to beat Australia as the USA won in 7:43.03. The coach moved her to a separate lane so she could go at her own pace. I was in the next lane, and I kept a close eye on Allison because I was anxious that she would be discouraged and upset.
“Ryan and I have grown closer as friends this year – so we’ll have one more time to hop in the pool and duke it out”.
That was Franklin’s role four years ago, when her leadoff leg helped the USA set an American record and claim the 4x200m gold.
On the fifth night of swimming at the Olympic Aquatic Center, 18-year-old Kyle Chalmers dethroned defending champion Nathan Adrian in the final of the 100 freestyle, the first Australian to be crowned king of speed in 48 years. Thiago Pereira could deliver the host country’s first swimming medal of the games.
They took the silver medal in 2008.
Phelps, competing Thursday evening in the 200-meter individual medley, is looking for his 22nd Olympic gold medal.
Seventy-five minutes after racing, he was back in the water to swim the final leg of the 4×200 freestyle after Conor Dwyer, Townley Haas and Ryan Lochte had built a lead of 1.76 seconds.
No American man has won a gold medal in the 200-meter backstroke since Mike Barrowman finished first in 1992.
Phelps could also reach the milestone in the 100m butterfly. After her four-gold performance in London, she traveled to the 2013 World Championships and was better, winning three individual golds and participating in three relay victories.
Cyclist Fabian Cancellara of Switzerland celebrates after crossing the finish line to win the men’s individual time trial event at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Pontal beach, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016.
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Somewhere in private, Missy Franklin will be presented the fifth gold medal of her Olympic swimming career.
