Editorial Coverage Sponsored By FINIS
Women’s 800 Free FINAL:
History continued into finals of the women’s 800 free final where Katie Ledecky was poised on the edge of a historical sweep as she walked onto deck for finals. Ledecky entered the meet in the 200, 400, and 800 free looking to repeat Debbie Meyer’s 1968 sweep of the three events, a feat that only Meyer had achieved before this year’s Olympiad.
Ledecky dove in the water, pulling ahead to a decisive start challenging her own World Record as she continued to pull farther and farther away from the crowd. It was clear after the first 50 that the two fights of the race would be between Ledecky and her world record and the rest of the field for second.
Basically pulling her way through the first half of the race Ledecky kept edging further and further past her world record of 8:06.68 to lower both the World and Olympic records to an 8:04.79.
After Ledecky stopped the clock Swimming World received a message from Meyer congratulating Ledecky, commenting, “Welcome to my world Katie!!!”
An astonishing 11.38 seconds separate Ledecky from the rest of the field as Great Britain’s Jazz Carlin dueled Hungary’s Boglarka Kapas for the silver medal. Carlin took second with a final 8:16.17 just ahead of Kapas’ 8:16.37.
2012 silver medalist Mireia Belmonte of Spain delivered a final time of 8:18.55 for fourth.
Australia’s Jessica Ashwood and the USA’s Leah Smith posted close times of 8:20.32 and 8:20.95 for fifth and sixth respectively.
Denmark’s Lotte Friis finished seventh with a 8:24.95, while Germany’s Sarah Kohler was eighth with a 8:27.75.
Full results are available here.
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