Katie Ledecky delivered another dominating performance at the Rio Olympic Games Friday night, handily breaking her own world record in the 800-meter freestyle.
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Though Phelps’ record in the 100 butterfly suggests utter dominance, he had won his previous three gold medals by a combined 0.28 of a second.
American Ledecky, 19, took almost two seconds off her own world record to win in eight minutes 4.79 seconds, almost 12 seconds clear of the rest. It’s the fifth gold of her career – she won the 800-meter freestyle in London, shocking the field as a 15-year-old.
FRANCOIS-XAVIER MARIT/AFP/Getty ImagesUSA’s Katie Ledecky competes in a Women’s 200m Freestyle heat during the swimming event at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Aquatics Stadium in Rio de Janeiro on August 8, 2016.
Jazz Carlin has won a second silver medal in the Rio Olympics after she took second in the women’s 800m freestyle.
Ledecky who already has three gold medals and one silver at the Rio Games, posted a time of 8:12.86 in topping the preliminary heats. He still has a chance to win his 23rd gold medal in his final race of the Olympics, the 4×100 medley relay. Then, Ervin walked away from swimming, skipping the next two Olympics while he embarked on a journey to find his goal in life.
Almaz Ayana of Ethiopia set a world record in the 10,000 meters with a stunning solo run to win the first gold medal in track.
“I try not to think too much about the history of anything”, said Ledecky, who didn’t get to bed until after 3 a.m. after anchoring the US women to victory in the 4×200 free relay on Wednesday.
“A three-way tie is pretty wild”, Phelps said.
Brazil’s government declared a day of official mourning for a Rio Olympics police officer who died after being shot in the head making a wrong turn into one of the city’s slum.
She said that Meyer had sent her a video message of support via her mother before the race. “Last night, I probably got the most sleep I’ve gotten all week”.
She already won a gold medal and set an unbelievable new record in the 400-meter freestyle, took another gold home from the 200-meter freestyle race, and earned yet another gold in the 4×200-meter freestyle relay. His wins gave him his fourth straight individual medley title at the Olympics. He sent me a message to tell me, and it was the first thing I saw when I walked out.
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“It’s good consistency, I guess”, she said nonchalantly. I don’t think we’ve ever seen anybody like Katie before. “Anytime she gets in that water, she’s going to do something wonderful”. After Manuel’s upset victory Thursday in the 100-meter freestyle, Ledecky stayed awake to congratulate her. Manuel said she was shocked when she cracked open the bedroom door at about two in the morning and was swallowed in an embrace by Ledecky.
