Katie Ledecky dethroned at Olympics by Australia’s Ariarne Titmus
TOKYO — Katie Ledecky, the most dominant female swimmer ever, lost an individual Olympic race here on Monday for the first time in her glittering career.
In perhaps the most highly-anticipated race of these Olympics, regardless of sport, Ariarne Titmus, “The Terminator,” a 20-year-old from Tasmania, took down Ledecky in the 400-meter freestyle with the second-fastest time ever.
Her 3:56.69 bettered Ledecky’s 3:57.36. China’s Li Bingjie took bronze, well off the pace.
Ledecky and Titmus swam stroke for stroke over the first 100 meters. Ledecky then pushed out to a half-second lead at the 150, and extended it slightly at the halfway point. But Titmus made her move over the final 150. Ledecky led by just 0.16 seconds with 100 to go. Titmus took the lead with 50 to go. They headed to the final wall neck and neck. Titmus barely out-touched Ledecky.
Ledecky set a world record that still stands in this event five years ago in Rio. For a few years thereafter, she remained untouched. But around 2018 and 2019, Titmus arrived on the scene. Titmus beat an ill Ledecky at the 2019 world championships by over a second.
And then, for two years, Australian and American swimming fans looked forward to the race that finally happened on Monday. Titmus upped the anticipation with a 3:56.90 at Aussie Olympic trials, a time that only 2016 Katie Ledecky had ever topped.
Ledecky came close to touching it on Monday, but couldn't. Titmus bettered her own mark, and took gold.
Ledecky and Titmus will do battle again in the 200-meter free on Wednesday, and perhaps even in the 800 later in the week. Ledecky, though, remains the presumptive favorite in the 800, a race she hasn’t lost in eight years; and in the 1500, a new Olympic event, a race she hasn’t lost ever.
But she isn’t the superhuman force she was in 2016 and 2017. She couldn’t keep up with Titmus’ four-years-younger limbs. Nothing that happened on Monday diminishes her greatness. But for four minutes here, and for at least the next 48 hours, she has been surpassed.
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