SHE might have missed out on a podium in the women’s 400 metres freestyle on Monday, but by placing seventh in the final Jess Ashwood still posted her best result in an Olympic event.
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United States’ Katie Ledecky looks up after winning a heat of the women’s 200-meter freestyle during the swimming competitions at the 2016 Summer Olympics, Monday, Aug. 8, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
The man with the most Olympic medals in history expanded his record haul to 23 on Sunday night while leading the United States to a stirring victory in the men’s 400-meter freestyle relay. She was that far in front by the first turn it was game over – for the other seven in the race, and for her own record.
“I am obviously a little bit devastated, but this is the best that I have done at an Olympics”, Ashwood said.
More will come as the week progresses, but for now, relish what Ledecky pulled off in the 400 free, an event in which she narrowly missed a bid to the 2012 Olympic Games. Ledecky shattered her own world record in the 400 free last night, winning the race by nearly five seconds.
Sunday night, she was a half-second ahead of the eventual silver medalist, Jazz Carlin of Great Britain, after the first 50 meters. “Every time she gets in the water, it’s like a world record”.
Ledecky’s was one of three world record swims on an electrifying night, with the others by Britain’s Adam Peaty in the men’s 100 breaststroke (57.13) and Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom in the women’s 100 butterfly (55.48).
In the butterfly, Sjostrom became the first Swedish woman to win an Olympic gold medal, with Canada’s 16-year-old Penny Oleksiak taking silver.
In a reminder of the doping controversies that dogged the build-up to the Olympics, there were loud boos for Russian breaststroker Yulia Efimova and the men’s relay team.
King, who beat Efimova for the gold in the shorter race after calling out the Russian’s doping history, is not almost as dominant in the longer race.
Her teammate Annemiek van Vleuten crashed while leading the race on the same final descent, where Giro d’ Italia victor Vincenzo Nibali and Colombian climber Sergio Henao tumbled while leading the men’s race Saturday.
The trio of Ki Bo-bae, Choi Mi-sun and Chang Hye-jin were unflappable at the gusty Sambadrome, routing their opponents 5-1 and sending Korean fans in the terraces into raptures.
Few would bet against her making it three golds, with the American holding the world record in the event. The French won silver, 0.61 seconds behind the Americans.
Taiwan’s Le Chien-ying, Lin Shih-chia and Tan Ya-ting held off the Italians in the playoff to capture bronze. Only Franklin has won four golds plus an additional medal (a bronze).
Ledecky, the freestyle phenom from Bethesda, Maryland, won her first gold medal of these Games, torching the field in the final of the 400 free at the Olympic Aquatics Stadium with a stunning time of 3:56.46 to win by almost five seconds over Britain’s Jazz Carlin. The fifth-ranked Americans lead Pool B with six points and moved closer to qualifying for the quarterfinals.
Thirty-year-old David Plummer took the bronze in the event. In the men’s 200 meter freestyle finals, watch for Germany’s Paul Biedermann, who holds the world record. Carli Lloyd scored. Solo became the first goalkeeper, male or female, to reach 200 appearances in global play.
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With the 12th long-course world record swim of her career, Ledecky finally took down her 2014 mark of 3:58.37.
