Katie Ledecky blitzed the field to retain her 1,500 metres freestyle title at the Paris Olympics, the American iron woman securing a record-equalling eighth gold medal in the sport.
World record holder Ledecky blew away the field in the gruelling, 30-lap race at La Defense Arena, touching the wall in an Olympic record 15.30.02, more than 10 seconds ahead of France’s silver medallist Anastasiia Kirpichnikova.
Germany’s Isabel Gose took bronze.
Ledecky went out hard and was a body length clear after 100m with her lead growing to five seconds at the halfway mark.
She never relented, her advantage continuing to build as she reinforced her reputation as the greatest distance swimmer the sport has seen.
The result was never in doubt with the 27-year-old setting the last six world records and now holding the fastest 20 times ever swum.
Ledecky now shares the record for most Olympic gold medals in women’s swimming with American Jenny Thompson, who won eight relay titles over three Olympics from 1992-2000.
Her collection of Olympic medals now equals the all-time record of 12 in women’s swimming shared by Thompson, Americans Dara Torres and Natalie Coughlin, and Australian Emma McKeon.
Ledecky will also swim the 800m in Paris, with Australian Ariarne Titmus standing in her way of winning a fourth straight title.
Magical Marchand achieves unprecedented Olympic feat
In the final race of day five of the games, home hero Leon Marchand took his third gold medal of the Paris Olympics and an unprecedented second on the same day in the men’s 200-metre butterfly and breaststroke double.
The Paris 2024 poster boy took the 200 butterfly title in Olympic record time and, roared on by his fans, beat Hungary’s world record holder and reigning champion Kristof Milak into second place.
Canada’s Ilya Kharun took the bronze in a race led by Milak until the final length when he was reeled in by his 22-year-old opponent in a thrilling duel to the wall in a deafening atmosphere with the crowd reaching a crescendo.
Marchand’s time of one minute 51.21 seconds was the third-fastest ever in the discipline.
The Frenchman, who had the arena rocking when he won the 400 Individual Medley on Sunday bagged his third title later in the 200 breaststroke final in a jaw-dropping attempt.
No Olympic swimmer – not even US great Michael Phelps who had the same coach as the Frenchman – has ever won the two events, but Marchand will start the breaststroke from lane four after qualifying with the fastest time.
He made history as no swimmer has won medals in butterfly and breaststroke at the same Olympics.
Sarah Sjostrom defies age for 100m gold
Earlier in the day, Evergreen Swede Sarah Sjostrom proved the adage that form is temporary and class is permanent as she upset a top-quality field to claim the women’s 100-metre freestyle gold.
Sjostrom only committed to racing the 100m weeks before the games but showed she still has what it takes as she swept to her second gold medal at the age of 30, eight years after winning the 100m butterfly at the Rio Olympics.
Sjostrom had plenty of ground to make up at the turn but put in a sizzling final 50 metres, sweeping down lane seven to touch the wall in 52.16 seconds at La Defense Arena, 0.13 seconds ahead of American silver medallist Torri Huske.
Siobhan Haughey took bronze for Hong Kong.
Though regarded as one of the greatest swimmers of the modern era, her one Olympic gold prior to Paris seemed a disappointing return for a swimmer of her standing.
Now the Swede has the 100m gold to match her world record and more success may follow in the 50m freestyle.
Pan bags China’s first pool gold
In the last swimming finals of the night, China’s Pan Zhanle smashed the world record as he stormed to victory in the men’s 100m freestyle.
Pan powered to the finish in 46.40 seconds, beating the world record time of 46.80 he had set in February in Doha.
Australia’s Kyle Chalmers, gold medal winner at the 2016 Rio Games, finished 1.08 seconds behind to take silver with Romania’s David Popovici claiming bronze.
