Katie Ledecky Wins Epic 800m Freestyle Duel at 2025 World Championships
Wow, what a race we just witnessed at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore. Katie Ledecky once again showed why she’s considered one of the greatest swimmers of all time. In what’s already being called the “race of the century,” Ledecky came out on top in the women’s 800-meter freestyle, beating her biggest rival, Summer McIntosh, and Australia’s Lani Pallister in an absolutely thrilling finish.
The showdown had been hyped all week, and honestly, it delivered even more than expected. NBC’s swimming analyst Rowdy Gaines even called it the biggest non-Olympic race this century—men or women—and it’s easy to see why. Ledecky and McIntosh were side-by-side in lanes 3 and 4, with everyone expecting a two-woman battle. But Lani Pallister wasn’t just there to swim; she turned it into a full-on three-way dogfight.
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For most of the race, McIntosh held the edge. She had a slim lead going into the last 100 meters, but Ledecky, in that trademark final push she’s famous for, turned on the jets in the last 50. She touched the wall at 8:05.62, just ahead of Pallister, who finished at 8:05.98. McIntosh came in third with 8:07.29. It was historic—never before had two women gone under 8:06 in the same race, and all three were well under 8:08. It’s already being talked about as the greatest 800m freestyle ever swum.
Right after that, Team USA kept the momentum going. Jack Alexy, Patrick Sammon, Kate Douglass, and Torri Huske teamed up in the mixed 4x100 freestyle relay and shattered the world record with a time of 3:18.48. Talk about a banner day for U.S. swimming.
Ledecky, now 28, isn’t slowing down. She already picked up gold in the 1,500m and bronze in the 400m earlier in the week. McIntosh, just 18, has had an incredible run too—winning the 400m, 200m individual medley, and 200m butterfly before this race. Both athletes are still chasing Michael Phelps’ insane records, and they’re giving fans some unforgettable moments along the way.
It’s worth noting, McIntosh had actually beaten Ledecky in the 800m freestyle before—back in early 2024 in Orlando. That was Ledecky’s first loss in the event since 2010. But today? Today was Ledecky’s race. And she made sure everyone knew it.
Honestly, if this was just a preview of what’s to come at the 2028 Olympics, we’re in for something legendary.
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