Ledecky, chasing her second gold of the Games after winning the 400-meter freestyle, edged out Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom and Australia’s Emma McKeon in a thrilling race. She won a gold medal in the 800-meter freestyle at the 2012 Olympics, and has now won two gold medals at the 2016 Olympics for the 400-meter and 200-meter freestyles respectively. Now she has a good chance of taking home 5 medals from the Rio Olympics, and she might break some world records along the way (she has already broken multiple ones during her short career).
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So coaches and teammates weren’t panicking Tuesday night when Ledecky jetted off the blocks in the final leg of the women’s 800-meter freestyle relay nearly a second behind Australia.
Schmitt got the Americans off to an early lead before Barratt pulled the Aussies ahead with one leg remaining-but Cook couldn’t hold off Ledecky.
Australia, who led until Ledecky dived in and turned the race around, took silver and Canada the bronze.
A tired Phelps qualified for the semi-finals with the third-fastest time in the heats as he aims to claim a fourth consecutive gold medal in the multi-stroke event. Canada took the bronze in 7:45.39.
The U.S. hovered in second place throughout the remainder of the race just behind Australia.
The 19-year-old from suburban Washington crushed the world record in the 400m and will be an overwhelming favorite in the 800m tomorrow, where she is the world-record holder and far faster than anyone else in the world. Perhaps he was talking about the way his opponents felt as the record-setter looks ready to earn his fourth medal of the Rio Games after leading all qualifiers in the 200 individual medley with a time of 1:55.78. But Balandin was right with him on the outside, and Koseki couldn’t keep up the pace.
“I don’t think it is possible to compare each game, but I feel like I am a lot more mature than four years ago”.
Armstrong’s win launched a busy fifth full day of action where 20 gold medals were to be decided. But Josh Prenot and Kevin Cordes could end that.
“I’m very proud to win a medal for my country”, the 21-year-old said through an interpreter.
Adrian dug deep to try to equal such great American watermen as Duke Kahanamoku and Johnny Weissmuller as two-time winners of the featured 100 freestyle.
Mireia Belmonte Garcia finally has her gold medal.
Golf also begins Thursday, returning to the Olympics for the first time since 1904.
A jubilant Japan finished second while Great Britain claimed the bronze medal.
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“I knew Schmitty was going to throw down an awesome leg”, Smith said. The Australian settled for the silver, just three-hundredths of a second behind.
