There’s no way to measure what someone does on the golf course with what someone does in the pool.
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We’re likely in for something special from Ledecky these Games, and she sets the bar during Monday’s heats and, presumably, Tuesday’s final. “She was way too far ahead for that”.
As the rest of the field battled for the minor medals, Ledecky fought the clock. But no one thought she would do it this fast. She beat the second-place finisher by almost five seconds, winning gold and breaking her own world record. In her first three swims here – a pair of blistering 100s as the anchor leg in the prelims and final of the 4×100 free relay Saturday and her flirtation with her 400 free world record Sunday afternoon – she hinted at the potential for a historic week at these Olympics. 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!
The American was swimming next to countrywoman Leah Smith and Great Britain’s Jazmin Carlin.
Five weeks ago, there was little doubt that Ledecky was holding back at the United States Olympic Trials.
Swimming phenomenon Katie Ledecky has managed to crush her most challenging opponent to date – her 17-year-old self.
At that point, it wasn’t really in doubt. Ledecky was putting on a clinic. “It was only a matter of how fast she was going to go”. The bronze went to Cody Miller of the United States, whose time of 58.87 held off teammate Kevin Cordes. The celebrated American athlete grabbed eyeballs at the Estadio Olympico beating English opponent Jasmin Carlin by a margin of almost 5 seconds and completing the final 50 meters in a commendable time of 28.92 seconds.
Aside from boasting 10 of the 11-swiftest times in event history, including the quickest six, Ledecky has the 11-fastest performances in textile.
She has now set 12 world records in the past four years and could yet add the 200m and 800m titles before she’s done.
Peaty, meanwhile, smashed the world record he had set in the 100m breaststroke in yesterday’s heats.
“The 200 is a much more stressful race than the 400 and 800, and it always just feels good when it’s over”, she said. I felt good throughout. Still, Williams and Ko are not invincible, an argument that can be made for Ledecky.
Epic is the best way to describe the legacy Ledecky is molding. After 200 meters, it was by 2.87 seconds.
The look of excitement on her face as soon as she realized what she had accomplished was pure Olympics magic! Their expected duel for the gold here in the 200 is one of the most anticipated races of the entire Olympics meet.
Capping off another dramatic night in the pool will be the men’s 4×200 meter freestyle relay. Vollmer started swimming again as “me time” away from her son, Arlen.
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Franklin (1:57.03) and Melanie Margalis (1:57.04) were essentially even, though Franklin’s experience and resume as a five-time medalist at the 2012 London Games would seemingly give her an edge for the fourth position. “I need to keep my head up and I need to keep fighting, and that’s what I’m going to do”. The scariest crash came in the women’s race on Sunday when Dutch cyclist Annemiek Van Vleuten looked as if she were cruising to a gold medal and instead ended up in intensive care with three broken vertebrae because of this scary crash. Right now, she is better than all of them.
