by With the swimming part of the aquatic world championships approaching, all the eyes will be on Katie Ledecky, the most decorated swimmer in history, while she clashes with Summer McIntosh of the feeling of adolescents.
Ledecky, who has nine Olympic gold medals and 21 amazing world championship titles, dominated female swimming for more than a decade and turned to this year championships in Singapore with an impatient eye.
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“Each of my events, there is a different challenge and I am just excited to see what kind of times I can install and how I can run,” she told CNN Sports.
For years, the only person that the American has had to worry about threatening her files is herself. But despite victories and distinctions that are still amazing, Ledecky – the start of a career of which was characterized by scandalously rapid times – had not put a world record in seven years.
Katie LEDECKY celebrates the creation of a world record in the 800m female free swimming on May 3 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. – Carmen Mandato / Getty Images
Ledecky poses for a photo with his five Olympic medals in Rio de Janeiro in August 2016. – Harry How / Getty Images
Ledecky participates in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Nanterre, France. – Al Bello / Getty Images
It was until May, when she shaved six tenths of a second on a world record, she established almost a decade ago at the 800m female freestyle – signaling a return to her speed and her brand power, and hungry to continue to push the limits of swimming.
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“It was more than the world record for me. It was the best time … I think each swimmer knows this feeling, you know, this feeling of going to the best time and being better than you have ever been. And for me, it’s just the world record in this event, and so it was an additional bonus, “she said.
However, at this year’s world championships, Canadian teenager Summer McIntosh will offer the generally dominant fierce competition.
McIntosh, 18, established three world records in Canadian swimming tests in June, breaking the world record of 400m free to a certain style with a time of 3: 54.18, while breaking the individual world record of 200m Medley (IM) and his own brand of 400m IM from May last year.
With four Olympic medals already in his name – including three, McIntosh, is on the path of native immortality, and during the championships of this year, she aims to win five individual gold medals, a feat only previously carried out by the legendary Michael Phelps.
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McIntosh is also getting closer to the Ledecky area: last month, it set a new Canadian record at 800m freestyle with 8: 05.07 – which was only 0.95 seconds of Ledecky.
Summer McIntosh famous after winning gold during the individual 400m female final of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Nanterre, France. – Adam Pretty / Getty Images
The two will compete in the 800m freestyle in Singapore, the first time McIntosh participated in the event at the world championships in a direct challenge in Ledecky – who is a world champion six times in this event – domination.
“I have flowed a lot the summer over the years now. I think that for the first time I ran it to Tokyo and that she was only 14 years old, and I think that at that time, you could see that she had a bright future ahead of her,” Ledecky told CNN Sports.
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She added: “We are going to run the 400 and 800 against each other. And there will also be another big competition in these races. So I think it’s exciting.”
Speaking of her incredible free performance of 800m earlier this year, she said: “It was my best time. It was the world record that summer was, you know, continuing to spend time in each event.
“It should be exciting races and I’m just going to put my best foot forward and see what I can do.”
McIntosh is also up to the challenge, explaining a video conference on July 9: “One of the many reasons for which I chose 800 is because, in my opinion, this is the biggest challenge. Katie is so strong and in her major form this season, so this match will be great.
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“I think we are leaning on the best.”
Training to win
Ledecky reacts after the 400m female freestyle at the swimming tests of the American Olympic team 2024 in June 2024. – Sarah Stier / Getty Images
Ledecky is preparing for his seventh world championships rigorously, training for about 25 to 30 hours per week – swimming 10 times a week and training five times a week.
Her downtime is just as important as her training, she explained: “These are hours that people don’t think about it just as important. How I put my body, how I rest, how I get back.”
She added that with physical preparation, she emphasizes mental preparation.
“I think that every day that I am in the water in training, I visualize the racing situations in which I am, or I simply think of my goals, my times, my steps, my technique, all the different things that I have to think and be diligent,” said Ledecky.
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“I had very good coaches … who believed in me and I thought that some of my best swimming are in front of me and that’s what we work every day.”
Although Ledecky is undeniably proud of her record achievements, she is very happy with her whole career.
“I think you know, which I am probably the happiest is the consistency I had over the years,” she told CNN Sports.
“I never imagined that I would even arrive at the Olympic Games and therefore anything after this first gold medal during my first Olympic Games when I was 15 was a kind of frosting on the cake. Everything was just additional from there.
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“It is a little releasing that there is no pressure. Admittedly, I put the pressure on myself, but I always remember that and it removes the pressure.”
Swimming competitions at the aquatic world championships in Singapore take place from July 27 to August 3.
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