World Champions McIntosh and Ledecky set for a thrilling 800m title clash at the upcoming global competition.
18-Year-Old McIntosh Aims to Challenge Ledecky's Dominance in 800m Freestyle
Canada's Kayla McIntosh made a splash at the Canadian trials in June, breaking three world records in a matter of days. Now, she's setting her sights on the 2025 World Championships, where she hopes to challenge four-time Olympic champion Katie Ledecky's long-standing dominance in the women's 800m freestyle.
McIntosh, who is new to the 800m free event, expressed excitement about racing Ledecky in the final. She stated that her goal was to win her heat and conserve energy, a strategy that paid off as she safely negotiated the heats with minimum effort.
Ledecky, aged 28, qualified for the final fastest, with a time of 8min 14.62sec, while McIntosh qualified third with a time of 8:19.88. All eyes will be on these two powerhouses in the battle for gold in the 800m free event.
McIntosh has already made her mark in Singapore, winning three gold medals from three events. Her most notable win came in the 400m free event, where she secured her first head-to-head victory against Ledecky.
However, Ledecky's dominance in the 800m freestyle is undeniable. She updated her own world record in the event in May this year, and all nine of the top 10 times belong to her. This extended her long-standing dominance in the race, a title she has held since her first Olympic win in 2012.
Despite McIntosh's impressive performance, Ledecky remained the favourite to win the event. In the final race, Ledecky won with a time of 8:05.62, while McIntosh took bronze with 8:07.29, and Australia's Lani Pallister won silver with 8:05.98.
McIntosh, who felt in good shape after winning the 200m butterfly gold the previous night, acknowledged that focusing too much on Ledecky during the race affected her performance. Despite this, she aims to improve her race for future championships.
Meanwhile, McIntosh is aiming to join Michael Phelps as the only swimmer to win five individual titles at a single world championships. If she manages to win the 800m freestyle event, she will certainly be one step closer to achieving this goal.
The competition in the 800m free event is not just between Ledecky and McIntosh. Australia's Lani Pallister and Italy's Simona Quadarella are also contenders for the podium. As the championships progress, all eyes will be on these swimmers as they battle it out in the pool.
International competition will see Canada's Kayla McIntosh and US's Katie Ledecky face off in the 2025 World Championships' 800m freestyle event, with both athletes aiming to make their mark in international sports. McIntosh, aiming to challenge Ledecky's dominance in the event, will have to outperform her in this grueling race.
