{"id":325206,"date":"2018-08-11T03:15:39","date_gmt":"2018-08-11T10:15:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=325206"},"modified":"2019-07-09T08:29:51","modified_gmt":"2019-07-09T15:29:51","slug":"katie-ledecky-wins-400-free-gold-ariarne-titmus-becomes-third-under-four-minutes-at-pan-pacs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/katie-ledecky-wins-400-free-gold-ariarne-titmus-becomes-third-under-four-minutes-at-pan-pacs\/","title":{"rendered":"Katie Ledecky Wins 400 Free Gold; Ariarne Titmus Becomes Third Under Four Minutes At Pan Pacs"},"content":{"rendered":"

American superstar and world record holder\u00a0Katie Ledecky\u00a0<\/strong>went out under her own world record pace on Saturday night in Tokyo in the 400 free at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships. Ledecky was challenged early in the race by Australia’s rising distance star\u00a0Ariarne Titmus\u00a0<\/strong>but Ledecky was able to hold her off over the last 100 even when she was falling off her own world record pace.<\/p>\n

Ledecky finished just off her 2014 meet record of 3:58.50. Ledecky has been faster this season, swimming a 3:57.94 at the Indianapolis Pro Swim Series.<\/p>\n

It is very rare to see someone challenge Ledecky like Titmus did in the final. Titmus was less than two seconds behind for the majority of the race and joined Ledecky and Italian\u00a0Federica Pellegrini\u00a0<\/strong>in the sub-four minute club. She is now third all-time in the event.<\/p>\n

Titmus is easily now the second fastest in the 2018 world rankings, breaking four minutes for the first time in her young career.<\/p>\n

It is quite refreshing for Ledecky to finally be seriously challenged in the distance races. The 17-year-old Titmus will not be going away it seems either.<\/p>\n

American\u00a0Leah Smith\u00a0<\/strong>was well off the hot pace by the leaders, finishing in third place at 4:04.23.<\/p>\n

Those three were well in front of the rest of the field as Australia’s\u00a0Madeline Gough\u00a0<\/strong>(4:08.42) and Canada’s\u00a0Emily Overholt\u00a0<\/strong>(4:08.81) finished in fifth and sixth with solid times for themselves.<\/p>\n

Japan’s\u00a0Waka Kobori\u00a0<\/strong>(4:09.04),\u00a0Chihiro Igarashi\u00a0<\/strong>(4:11.96) and Canada’s\u00a0Kennedy Goss\u00a0<\/strong>(4:13.25) also competed in the final.<\/p>\n

2018 World Rankings:<\/h3>\n
    \n
  1. Katie Ledecky<\/strong>, USA, 3:57.94<\/li>\n
  2. Ariarne Titmus<\/strong>, AUS, 3:59.66<\/em><\/li>\n
  3. Leah Smith<\/strong>, USA, 4:02.21<\/li>\n
  4. Wang Jianjiahe<\/strong>, CHN, 4:03.14<\/li>\n
  5. Simona Quadarella<\/strong>, ITA, 4:03.35<\/li>\n
  6. Ajna Kesely<\/strong>, HUN, 4:03.57<\/li>\n
  7. Holly Hibbott<\/strong>, GBR, 4:05.01<\/li>\n
  8. Li Bingjie<\/strong>, CHN, 4:05.37<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    All-Time Rankings:<\/h3>\n
      \n
    1. Katie Ledecky<\/strong>, USA, 3:56.46 (2016)<\/li>\n
    2. Federica Pellegrini<\/strong>, ITA, 3:59.15 (2009)<\/li>\n
    3. Ariarne Titmus<\/strong>, AUS, 3:59.66 (2018)<\/em><\/li>\n
    4. Joanne Jackson<\/strong>, GBR, 4:00.60 (2009)<\/li>\n
    5. Leah Smith<\/strong>, USA, 4:00.65 (2016)<\/li>\n
    6. Rebecca Adlington<\/strong>, GBR, 4:00.79 (2009)<\/li>\n
    7. Camille Muffat<\/strong>, FRA, 4:01.13 (2012)<\/li>\n
    8. Jazz Carlin<\/strong>, GBR, 4:01.23 (2016)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
      \"400-free-women\"

      Photo Courtesy:<\/p><\/div>\n