Katie Ledecky retakes 400m freestyle at swim worlds; Michael Phelps’ last record rattled

BUDAPEST — Katie Ledecky reclaimed the 400m freestyle crown to open the world swimming championships, prevailing in the absence of rival Ariarne Titmus of Australia.

Ledecky won in a championship record 3 minutes, 58.15 seconds, topping 15-year-old Canadian Summer McIntosh by 1.24 seconds. American Leah Smith took bronze, matching her finish from the 2016 Olympics and 2019 Worlds.

“Just wanted to start the meet on a good note,” said Ledecky, who is expected to swim in four events over the eight-day competition. “It hurt a bit, but I’m really happy and couldn’t be happier to have Leah on the medal podium with me.”

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Also Saturday, 20-year-old Frenchman Léon Marchand established himself as a star ahead of the 2024 Paris Games.

Marchand, who swims at Arizona State under Michael Phelps‘ longtime coach Bob Bowman, won the 400m individual medley in 4:04.28, the second-best time in history behind Phelps’ world record 4:03.84.

Americans Carson Foster and Chase Kalisz (Tokyo Olympic champion) took silver and bronze.

Marchand was under Phelps’ record pace through 350 meters, nearly wiping Phelps’ last remaining individual record, and the last individual record overall from the 2008 Olympics, off the books.

“I talk to [Phelps] a little bit by [text] message, and he’s always sending some some texts to Bob,” Marchand said.

Australian Elijah Winnington took the men’s 400m free in 3:41.22, the world’s best time since 2012. Winnington was seventh at the Tokyo Olympics.

In the 4x100m free relays, the U.S. men, led by Caeleb Dressel, won by 1.46 seconds over Australia. The U.S. has won the event at every Olympics and worlds since Dressel joined the lineup in 2016.

Favored Australia took