Ariarne Titmus wins 400 free gold; Katie Ledecky takes bronze - ESPN

PARIS — No matter having the second-fastest qualifying time earlier in the day, nor even accidentally going to the wrong lane at the race's start, Australia's Ariarne Titmus proved her dominance in the women's 400m freestyle on Saturday night with her second gold medal in the race.

The reigning world-record holder in the event held off Canada's Summer McIntosh (silver) and American Katie Ledecky (bronze) with a 3:57.49 at La Defense Arena.

The race was one of the most hyped leading into the Games as it featured an eagerly anticipated head-to-head showdown between Titmus and Ledecky. During the 2020 Olympics, Titmus handed Ledecky her first defeat in any individual Olympic competition as the Australian edged the American for gold in the race. Since then, Ledecky has continued to dominate in her two longer distances (800m, 1,500m) but Titmus has become the woman to beat in the 400m and she set the current world record of 3:55.38 last year at the world championships. Entering the 2024 Games, Titmus hadn't lost in the distance since 2019.

Despite Titmus' status as the defending champion and the clear favorite, Ledecky showed she remained a contender for the top spot on the podium during her qualifying heat earlier on Saturday. Competing against Titmus in the third and final heat, Ledecky trailed for most of the race but picked up the pace in the final 100 meters and overcame her rival down the stretch to earn the fastest qualifying time.

Ledecky told reporters earlier in the day she hadn't been trying to make a statement with her performance.

«There is no message or anything,» Ledecky said. «I was trying to have a good swim and get into that final and I got my lane, and we all got our lanes and that's all that matters.»

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