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Welsh swimmer Jazz Carlin reaches Rio 2016 final on Olympic debut

American swimmer Katie Ledecky has swum the second-fastest 400 meter freestyle in history and broken the Olympic Record with a 3:58.71.

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The United States performed well in Olympic swimming qualifying heats on Sunday.

UGA’s Olivia Smoliga will also compete Sunday night in the 100-meter backstroke semifinal.

In 2012, a 15-year-old Katie Ledecky upset the field in the women’s 800-meter freestyle to win gold at the London games.

Carlin’s time of 4:02.83 was a personal best, as she reached the final, which takes place at 03:01 BST on Monday. “So that bodes well for tonight”.

In the same event, Molly Renshaw was second in her heat but only 23rd overall.

Elsewhere at the Olympic Aquatics Centre Efimova was banned for 16 months in 2013 after traces of an anabolic steroid were found in her system. “But I slept in until about 11, so it was pretty good”.

“Hopefully I can get a medal in this race”.

When pressed on criticism from rival swimmers and coaches, she smiled and walked away. Murphy qualified in fourth place while Plummer qualified in fifth.

Now, the real fun begins as the countries break out their big guns for the evening final.

Australia rested up Cameron McEvoy, France has Florent Manaudou in reserve, while Russian Federation can turn to Vladimir Morozov – another of the doping-tainted swimmers given last-minute approval to compete in Rio.

Phelps, the most medalled Olympian with 18 golds in a collection of 22, could swim in the final with the decision due to be announced an hour before the last race of the day.

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The U.S. didn’t even qualify for the final of the 4×100 free relay past year at the worlds in Kazan, an embarrassing setback for the world’s most dominant swimming nation. Matias Koski represented Finland in the 200-meter freestyle, and Javier Acevedo swam for Canada in the 100-meter backstroke.

Katie Ledecky