Ledecky downs Titmus in Olympic 800m final

US Olympic large Katie Ledecky has claimed her 2nd golden medal successful Tokyo taking retired the 800m freestyle, portion Ariarne Titmus won silver.

Titmus, racing from lane six, pushed each the mode and was wrong a assemblage magnitude successful the closing laps but it was Ledecky, who led from commencement to finish, continuing her dominance successful the 16-lap lawsuit with her last aquatics successful Tokyo.

Ledecky became the archetypal pistillate swimmer to seizure six idiosyncratic golden medals successful her vocation and hasn't since an 800m contention since 2010.

Katie Ledecky of Team United States (R) is congratulated by Simona Quadarella of Team Italy aft winning golden successful the Women's 800m Freestyle Final astatine Tokyo Aquatics Centre connected July 31, 2021 successful Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) (Getty)

Ledecky, the two-time defending Olympic golden medalist successful the 800m, came into the last astir 2 seconds quicker than her nearest rival and was a chopped supra the field, winning successful a clip of 8:12:57.

The American has recorded the 24 fastest times successful the event's past and owns the satellite and Olympic grounds of 8:04.79 — acceptable successful Rio 5 years ago.

Katie Ledecky of Team United States (R) leads Ariarne Titmus (far left) connected the last lap. (Getty)

Titmus was gunning for a uncommon 200-400-800m treble but volition present adhd metallic to her tally.

Ledecky mislaid her archetypal 2 idiosyncratic matchups with Titmus, but yet bushed her successful her signature event.

"The 800 is the 1 that was benignant of similar a bonus, this is simply a overmuch tougher tract for me," Titmus said aft the race.

"I knew I had to wounded tonight, I tried to reel her backmost successful astatine the end. I did my best, I'm beauteous blessed with a PB."

Ledecky of Team United States celebates aft winning gold. (Getty)

Simona Quadarella won bronze for Italy, portion Australian Kiah Melverton came sixth.

The triumph secured Ledecky's 4th medal astatine the Games, aft winning the first-ever women's 1500m freestyle and 2 silvers, successful the 4x200m freestyle relay and 400m freestyle' the second of which was her first-ever idiosyncratic nonaccomplishment astatine the Olympics.

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