Katie Ledecky set the fastest time in the women’s 400-meter freestyle preliminaries at the Paris Olympics, setting the stage for the anticipated showdown with Ariarne Titmus. Ledecky clocked in at 4 minutes, 2.19 seconds to claim the top spot for the evening final.
TItmus, also a strong contender, finished with a time of 4:02.46, securing a spot in the final alongside Ledecky. The pair is expected to battle it out in the upcoming final.
TItmus, the current Olympic champion in the event, expressed excitement for the final despite finishing behind Ledecky in the preliminaries. She emphasized the importance of securing a spot in the middle lanes for the final showdown.
Other notable swimmers to watch include Summer McIntosh and Erika Fairweather, who also posted competitive times in the preliminaries.
The atmosphere at the La Defense Arena was electrifying, with a packed crowd eagerly anticipating the swimming competitions.
Women’s 100 butterfly
China’s Zhang Yufei and the US’s Gretchen Walsh performed well in the women’s 100 butterfly preliminaries, advancing to the semifinals with strong times.
Men’s 100 breaststroke
British star Adam Peaty showed promise in the men’s 100 breaststroke preliminaries, signaling a potential third consecutive gold medal in the event.
4×100 free relay
Australia dominated the women’s 4×100 freestyle relay preliminaries, positioning themselves as the favorites for the gold medal in the event.
