Katie Ledecky got off to a bad start in Tokyo but will leave here with an unbeatable taste in her mouth. On the penultimate day of swimming, he won the 800 freestyle, getting his second gold medal after 1,500, and will return home with these two golds plus two silvers (400 free and 4×200 relay). And, above all, having finally defeated ‘Terminator’ Titmus, the Australian who had the anti-Katie formula and who had already defeated her in both 200 and 400.
It is seen that the longer the distance, the more favorite is Ledecky. The 800 free is the farthest Titmus gets, but for the one in Washington, used to 1,500, it’s another day at the office. The strategy of both was sung in advance: Katie, to shoot like crazy from the horn and try to blow up the resistance and the morale of the rest; Ariarne, to let him escape but not by much, staying within a margin of maximum two seconds behind to drop the ax in the final section.
And the script was fulfilled point by point until 600 meters, when Ledecky passed leader and Titmus, second at 1 ”72. At that time, the American’s tenacity ended up breaking her particular ‘Terminator’. The ‘aussie’ was losing ground from then on: 2 ”24 at 650 meters, 2” 43 at 700 and 2 ”27 at 750, too far to think about coming back on the last pitch. Gold for the USA (8’12 ”57), silver for Australia (8’13” 83), turning the tables, and bronze for the Italian Simona Quadarella (8’18 ”35).
The battle for the female throne in Tokyo is tied: Ledecky, two golds and two silvers; Titmus, two golds, one silver and one bronze and 2-1 in his favor in the private face-to-face. But this is not over yet and there are other candidates.
