Ledecky claims seventh successive world championship in the 800-meter freestyle swim.
In a thrilling race at the 2025 World Swimming Championships, American swimmer Katie Ledecky once again proved her dominance in the 800-meter freestyle event. The 28-year-old outdueled her youngest and most fierce competitor, the 18-year-old Toronto native Summer McIntosh, to secure her seventh consecutive victory in this event.
Ledecky, who is the niece of New York Islanders co-owner Jon Ledecky, led the race in the early stages, with McIntosh keeping her in close range. However, it was in the final 100 meters that Ledecky rallied to win the race, with McIntosh falling to third behind Australia's Lani Pallister.
This latest victory extends Ledecky's record as the only woman to win the same individual event at four consecutive Olympics, in any sport. She has won gold in the 800-meter freestyle at London 2012, Rio 2016, Tokyo 2021, and Paris 2024.
Ledecky's winning time in the 800-meter freestyle was 8:05.62, with Pallister finishing second at 8:05.98 and McIntosh third at 8:07.29. Her seven wins in the 800-meter freestyle put her at the top of the charts for most triumphs in a single event.
McIntosh, an 18-year-old swimming prodigy, has pushed Ledecky to her limits, having come very close to breaking Ledecky’s world record and even defeated her once in a lower-profile meet earlier in 2024. Pallister also continues to be a strong contender, finishing just behind Ledecky at the latest championships.
Last year, McIntosh beat Ledecky in the 800-meter freestyle at the Southern Zone South Sectional Championships in Orlando, Florida. However, Ledecky bounced back at the world championships in Singapore, winning the event for the seventh consecutive time.
If McIntosh competes in the 800-meter freestyle at the next world championships in Los Angeles, the race against Ledecky could serve as a preview of the competition in 2028. McIntosh opted against swimming in the 800-meter freestyle at the previous world championships to concentrate on other events, where she took gold in the 200 butterfly, 200 Individual Medley, and 400 Individual Medley.
Ledecky's victory in the 800-meter freestyle was the closest of her seven victories in the event. Summer McIntosh briefly took a 0.14-second lead after 700 meters in the race, but Ledecky managed to rally in the final stretch to secure her win.
Katie Ledecky's seven world titles in the 800-meter freestyle make her the most successful swimmer ever in that individual event at the World Championships. She first established dominance in this event since her Olympic debut in 2012 and has remained undefeated in major competitions, including 18 Olympic and world championship races in the 800m and 1500m frees.
Ledecky expressed satisfaction with her training and a lack of pressure going into the race, despite facing strong competition from McIntosh and Pallister. Her victory in Singapore marks another milestone in her illustrious swimming career and sets the stage for an exciting competition in the coming years.
References: 1. SwimSwam 2. CBC 3. Swimming World 4. NBC Sports
Katie Ledecky's success in sports extends beyond swimming, as she also has a family connection to the New York Islanders, a professional ice hockey team. In the world of swimming, her dominance in the 800-meter freestyle event is unparalleled, with her latest victory at the 2025 World Swimming Championships marking her seventh consecutive win in this event.
