The reason Katie Ledecky is regarded as one of the best freestyle swimmers in the sport’s history is that she is never content.
The 26-year-old American became the first swimmer to win six gold medals in the same event at the world championships on Saturday by winning the 800-meter freestyle. Her 16th individual global championship broke a tie with Michael Phelps for the most gold medals in the world.
She has won seven gold medals in the Olympics and holds the 800 and 1,500-meter world records.
That winning time, which is the seventh-fastest she has ever swum (8 minutes, 8.87 seconds), wasn’t nearly good enough in her preferred event.
“I’m just always trying to think of new ways to improve. I mean I’ve already got everything turning in my head right now. I kind of wanted to be better than I was tonight,” she said, twirling her right hand beside her right ear, trying to stir up ideas.
“I’m pretty tough on myself,” she said. “But I think I have found the balance of being tough on myself but also having that grace.”
Ledecky won her second solo gold in the 800 after taking first place in the 1,500 free on Tuesday. She won silver in the 400-meter free as well. Ariarne Titmus of Australia won the bronze medal in 8:13.59, and Li Bingjie of China won the silver in 8:13.31.
In the seventh of eight days in the pool, it was just the fourth gold for the United States. Australia has been piling on the gold lately, matching their total from the World with 13 golds. On Saturday, Australia added three more gold medals.
The Americans are in first place overall with 31 medals (16 silver), followed by Australia with 20 and China with 13.
Australian Kaylee McKeown created her own history by winning the gold medal in the women’s 200 backstroke. Following wins in the 50 and 100 backstrokes, McKeown’s victory gave her a clean sweep of all three backstroke competitions. At the worlds, she became the first swimmer to win all three backstroke events.
She was later disqualified from the 200 IM, but it all made up for it.
Silver went to Regan Smith of the United States in 2:04.94, and bronze went to Peng Xuwei of China in 2:06.74.
With a victory in the 50 butterfly, Sarah Sjöström continued to rule. The 29-year-old triumphed in 24.77 seconds, becoming the fifth world champion in a row to do so. Sjöström now has 20 individual medals overall at the worlds, matching Phelps’ total.
Sjöström also beat her personal 50-meter freestyle record, clocking a time of 23.61 in a semifinal heat. She previously established a mark of 23.67 in 2017.
Zhang Yufei of China won the gold medal in the 100-meter fly and finished second in 25.05; American Gretchen Walsh earned third in 25.46.
Favorite Japanese spectator Rikako Ikee placed seventh in the 50-meter fly with a time of 25.78, but the home audience cheered her on.
The 23-year-old Ikee was tipped to be a favorite at the Tokyo Olympics after winning six gold medals at the 2018 Asian Games. But in February 2019, leukemia was discovered in her body. Her reappearance has remained popular with both the Japanese audience and her rivals.
Australian Cameron McEvoy took the lead early on and finished first in the 50 free in 21.06. It was his first individual gold medal from the Olympics or the World.
Along with his silver in the 100 free, American Jack Alexy won his second silver in the global championships in 21.57. The bronze medal was won by Benjamin Proud of Britain, the 2017 world champion, in 21.58.
Despite winning the competition at the Olympics, Caeleb Dressel was not selected for the American squad. Dressel’s winning time in Tokyo was 21.07, and McEvoy’s time was 21.07.
In the 100 fly, France’s Maxime Grousset finished first in 50.14 seconds. The 24-year-old grabbed the lead right away and kept it. Canadian Josh Liendo won the silver medal in 50.34, and American Dare Rose took third place (50.46).
In the quarterfinal of the 50 breaststroke, Lithuanian Ruta Meilutyte matched the previous world record of 29.30.
Australia set a world record by winning the 4×100 mixed freestyle relay in 3:18.83. In 3:20.82, the Americans won silver, while in 3:21.68, Britain won bronze. Relay is not an Olympic competition.
