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Ariarne Titmus once again prevailed in her ongoing rivalry with Katie Ledecky in the Olympic 400-meter freestyle. This rivalry, which has persisted for five years, now also includes the young Summer McIntosh, who is approaching 18 years old and has been alternating at the top of swimming's record charts.
Dominating the race from the very start, Titmus secured her second consecutive gold in this distance, her third Olympic gold overall. This feat of winning consecutive golds in the 400 meters hadn't been achieved since Martha Norelius, who won gold in 1924 and again in 1928.
On the morning of the race, all three competitors conserved their energy, with Ledecky setting the fastest qualifying time (4:02.19). This set the stage for a highly anticipated race, expected to be one of the highlights of the championships.
The spotlight was on lanes 4, 5, and 6, where the favorites were lined up. Titmus, sporting yellow nails in true Australian fashion, splashed her face to get ready.
She reached the first turn with a 10th-of-a-second lead over McIntosh, while Ledecky, adopting a slower pace, stayed out of medal contention at each turn, trailing behind the New Zealander Fairweather and the American Madden until the 250-meter mark.
The speed of the La Defense pool was evident from the first strokes. This was noted by Sergio de Celis, leading the 4x100 relay that set a new Spanish record, and confirmed by Gretchen Walsh, who swam the 100 butterfly in 55.38, setting an Olympic record. Despite the fast conditions, no new world records were set in this race.
Ledecky left behind by Titmus and McIntosh
By the midpoint, the race had narrowed to a duel between Titmus and the promising McIntosh, with Ledecky more than a second behind.
The final 100 meters sealed Titmus' status as the best in the distance, with her splits consistently under 30.14 seconds, except for the 350-meter mark.
She finished a body length ahead of McIntosh, winning with a time of 3:57.49 to McIntosh's 3:58.37. Ledecky arrived third, unable to break the four-minute mark (4:00.06), and graciously accepted her defeat with a hug for Titmus.
This win solidifies Titmus' dominance in the 400 meters, continuing her impressive streak in international competitions.