- The race was one of the most eagerly awaited events in Paris
- The rivalry between the Aussie and the American is intense
Ariarne Titmus successfully defended her women’s 400m freestyle title with an outstanding performance at the Paris Olympics, leaving her American opponent Katie Ledecky far behind in the final.
In what has been termed the race of the century, the Tasmanian-native Titmus finished with a time of 3 minutes 57.49 seconds, followed closely by Canada’s Summer McIntosh (3:58.37) and Ledecky (4:00.86).
Titmus set a strong pace right from the start, leading her and McIntosh below the world record time.
‘Ledecky swims with great intensity, but she soon fell out of the race for gold,’ remarked Giaan Rooney during the commentary for Channel Nine.
Titmus found a comfortable rhythm as she gradually extended her lead in the middle phases of the race, at one point just under the world record pace.
As the final 100 meters approached, the world record seemed at risk as Titmus surged ahead of Ledecky.
In the closing stages, her lead continued to grow, with Ledecky trailing significantly and Summer McIntosh her only rival.
With this victory, Titmus becomes the first Australian woman to successfully defend an individual swimming gold medal since Dawn Fraser did so in 1964.
Ariarne Titmus enduring her performance in the final, while Ledecky (right) finished third, with only Canada’s Summer McIntosh (left) giving her serious competition.
Titmus showcases her second consecutive women’s 400m freestyle gold medal after an incredible victory.
Titmus quickly secured a lead, initially maintaining a pace that suggested a potential world record as she raced to her victory in Paris.
Titmus has now joined Fraser as the only Australian woman to defend an individual Olympic swimming title, who achieved this mere decades ago in the 1964 Games.
Titmus’s family celebrates her monumental achievement, solidifying her position alongside two of the nation’s legendary Olympians, Dawn Fraser and Shirley Strickland.
The Australian athlete emerged victorious without question, prompting her famously animated coach Dean Boxall to cheer wildly in the stands.
‘To protect your title is quite the feat; it’s a substantial weight to carry,’ Titmus expressed post-race, adding, ‘I can hardly believe I’ve matched Fraser’s success.’
‘This should serve as motivation for anyone out there — it doesn’t matter your background, whether you hail from a small or large town.’
‘Although my legs were giving out, I had to push through and give it my all.’
‘I’m exhausted,’ she admitted.
‘But I feel a sense of relief. Winning this time feels different from the first time.’
‘I understand the demands of being an Olympic champion and I recognize how tough it is to compete at the Olympic level.’
Katie Ledecky, who can be seen hugging Titmus, came in a distant third.
‘There’s nothing quite like the noise, atmosphere, and pressure of such an event.’
Australia’s Jamie Perkins finished last in the race.
Titmus joins Fraser as the only Australian women to have defended an Olympic swimming individual title. Fraser claimed gold in the 100m freestyle at the 1956, 1960, and 1964 Olympics. Shirley Strickland achieved a similar feat in athletics.
The world record holder in both the 200m and 400m freestyle, Titmus is also the reigning Olympic 200m freestyle champion, with heats and semi-finals scheduled for Sunday, followed by the final on Monday.
Titmus’s victory occurred alongside fellow Australian Elijah Winnington, who secured silver in the men’s 400m freestyle, while teammate Sam Short finished in fourth place.
