Tokyo Olympics: Defending champion Katie Ledecky stunned by Ariarne Titmus in 400m final

American swimmer Katie Ledecky lost her Olympic crown to first time Olympian Australia's Ariarne Titmus after the 20-year-old swimmer from Tasmania won the 400-meter freestyle event with the second-fastest time ever at the ongoing Tokyo Olympics. This was also the first time that Ledecky lost an individual Olympic race in her glittering career. Ariarne Titmus clocked 3:56.69 to win the gold, while Ledecky timed 3:57.36 to settle for silver. China’s Li Bingjie took bronze.

Tokyo Olympics: Ariarne Titmus stuns Olympic champion Katie Ledecky

Earlier Titmus beat Ledecky at the 2019 world championships by over a second and the highly anticipated battle between Ledecky and Titmus at the Tokyo Olympics did not disappoint. Ledecky and Titmus swam stroke for stroke over the first 100 meters. The American swimmer then took a half-second lead at the 150m, and extended it slightly at the halfway point. However, Titmus waited until 150m to make her move in this battle. Ledecky led by just 0.16 seconds with 100 to go. Titmus took the lead with 50m to go and Ledecky also pushed hard but to no avail as Titmus won the contest in a time of 3:56.69, a new Oceania record.

Ledecky and Titmus will do battle again in the 200-meter free on Wednesday, and perhaps even in the 800 later in the week. Ledecky, though, remains the presumptive favourite in the 800, a race she hasn’t lost in eight years; and in 1500, a new Olympic event, a race she hasn’t lost ever.

About Katie Ledecky swimming credentials 

Ledecky made her debut at the London Olympic Games as a 15-year-old. She finished third in the 800 free heats, however, the American went onto win the gold with a time of 8:23.84, which was the fastest in the field by 4.13 seconds and set a new American record in the event. At the Rio Olympics in 2016, Ledecky set Olympic and world records en route to winning the 400 and 800 freestyle, along with adding gold medals in the 200 free, 4x200 free relay and a silver in the 4x100 free relay. According to sportingnews.com Ledecky has 20 Olympic and world championship gold medals are the most of any women's swimmer. Her total international medal count after that race is 28 gold, six silver and one bronze.

Image: Team USA/ AUS Olympic Team/ Twitter