Rio Olympics 2016 Swimming: American prodigy Katie Ledecky clinches 200m freestyle gold

(L-R) Bronze medalist Emma McKeon, gold medalist Katie Ledecky of the United States and silver medalist Sarah Sjostrom of Sweden
 

The women’s 200m freestyle event at the Rio Olympics 2016 was supposed to be a two-horse race between America’s Katie Ledecky and Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom on Tuesday. But the 19-year-old American held off her Swedish rival in another stunning performance to clinch the gold, clocking 1:53.73.

Sjostrom finished second with a timing of 1:54.08 while the bronze went to Emma McKeon of Australia.

Second gold for Ledecky from Rio

This was the second gold medal for Ledecky from the Rio Games. The freestyle queen had earlier clinched the yellow metal in the 400m freestyle where she went on to smash the world record, apart from helping USA take the silver medal in the 4x100m freestyle relay event.

On Tuesday, she did not create a new world record but was quite close to the existing record of 1:52.98 set by former Olympic champion Federica Pellegrini, who finished fourth.

Overall, this was the third gold medal for the teenage prodigy, who is also the proud possessor of the 800m freestyle Olympic title which she won in 2012 at the tender age of 15.

Did not have the best start

It wasn’t the best start for the American and she trailed the top three swimmers at the 50m turn. But, just like always, she produced her unbelievable burst of speed midway through the race to swim to glory.

Third woman to do the 200m-400m freestyle double

With her latest win, Ledecky becomes the third woman swimmer to win the 200m and 400m freestyle gold in the same Olympics Games, thus emulating the feats of Debbie Meyer (1968) and Shane Gould (1972).

What’s more incredible about this sensational swimmer is that she has now emerged victorious in all 14 of the international individual competitions that she has entered in. She has a chance to increase that tally when she next takes part in 800m freestyle where she is the defending champion.

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Edited by Staff Editor