Ariarne Titmus knocked off the USA’s Katie Ledecky again at the Olympics, defending her 400-metre freestyle title in one of the most highly anticipated races of the Paris Games.
Titmus, the Australian star known as “The Terminator,” prevailed in an event the American won at Rio de Janeiro in 2016, handing Ledecky a second straight defeat in the event.
With her fingernails painted Aussie yellow, Titmus led from start to finish. The 23-year-old faced her stiffest challenge from Canadian phenom Summer McIntosh but won comfortably in three minutes and 57.49 seconds.
“I probably felt the expectation and pressure for this race more than anything in my life, to be honest, and I’m pretty good at handling the pressure but I’ve definitely felt it,” Titmus said.
“I’m just happy to get the result for myself and I feel so honoured to be a part of the race and be alongside legends like Katie.
“I look up to her so much as an athlete and there’s certainly not a rivalry beyond the races. I really respect her as a person,” Titmus added.
Canada’s 17-year-old McIntosh claimed the silver in 3:58.37, while American Ledecky was left in her wake and got the bronze in 4:00.86.
Ledecky remains at six individual gold medals in her brilliant career – still the most of any female swimmer in Olympic history.
Titmus now has three individual Olympic victories on her growing resume. She swept the 200 and 400 free in Tokyo and is favoured to pull off the same double in Paris.
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