Katie Ledecky’s historic reign continues after she beat rival Summer McIntosh in one of the biggest non-Olympic swimming races during Saturday’s women’s 800-meter freestyle at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore.
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The race, dubbed “the biggest race of this century, men or women, from outside of the Olympic format” by NBC swimming analyst Rowdy Gaines this week, lived up to the hype as Ledecky and McIntosh, slotted into lanes 3 and 4, battled to a dramatic finish. The only surprise: Australia’s Lani Pallister made it a thrilling three-woman race instead of a duel between only Ledecky and Canada’s McIntosh.
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McIntosh had the narrow lead with 100 meters left before Ledecky pulled away in the final 50 meters and won in 8:05.62, narrowly beating Pallister (8:05.98). McIntosh was third in 8:07.29 in what was called the greatest 800 freestyle ever. It was the first time two women had ever gone below 8:06.00 in the same 800 free with all three well below 8:08.00.
Ledecky didn’t know she was trailing McIntosh late in the race.
“I just knew it was close the whole way,” Ledecky said. “There were times where I thought I was just going to break away. I was just happy I was up there.”
Shortly after Ledecky’s thrilling win, the United States team of Jack Alexy, Patrick Sammon, Kate Douglass and Torri Huske set a world record in the mixed 4×100 relay in 3:18.48.
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Both Ledecky, 28, and McIntosh, 18, cruised to the finals after winning their individual qualifying heats on Friday.
Ledecky has won a total of 14 Olympic medals in her career, including nine golds. McIntosh put herself on the map during last summer’s Paris Olympics by taking home three golds and a silver.
The 800m freestyle has been Ledecky’s race, with the Maryland native winning gold in the event at each of the past four Olympics, the only woman to achieve that feat. She also now owns seven consecutive world titles in the 800m going back to the 2013 event.
McIntosh had been trying to join Michael Phelps as the only swimmers to win five gold medals in a single world championships. She won her first three events in Singapore before Ledecky and Pallister left her with a bronze.
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McIntosh has bested Ledecky in the 800m freestyle before. In February 2024, the Canadian was six seconds faster than Ledecky at the Southern Zone South Sectional Championships in Orlando, Florida. It was Ledecky’s first defeat in the event since 2010.
It’s been a fruitful week already for both swimmers. Ledecky claimed gold in the 1,500m freestyle and a bronze in the 400m freestyle. That 400m finish was behind McIntosh, who claimed gold in the event, along with the 200 IM and 200 fly.
Both Ledecky and McIntosh have been chasing records set by Phelps, who won five individual gold medals at the 2007 World Championships.
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In other events, Gretchen Walsh became the first American woman to win gold at the world championships in the 50m butterfly. Regan Smith and Claire Curzan took silver and bronze, respectively, in the women’s 200m backstroke. Alexy’s bronze in the men’s 50 freestyle was his third medal of the 2025 world championships.
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