Paris 2024 Olympics: Australia’s Titmus defends 400m freestyle title

Australia’s Ariarne Titmus defeated arch rivals Summer McIntosh of Canada and USA’s Katie Ledecky to defend her 400m freestyle title at the Paris Olympics 2024 on Saturday.

Titmus clocked 3:57.49 almost a second faster than the Canadian teen McIntosh and four-time Olympian Ledecky, who secured silver and bronze medals, respectively.

All three medallists were past or present world record holders in the event.

The race had been compared to the epic men’s 200 freestyle “Race of the Century” showdown between American Michael Phelps, Australian Ian Thorpe and Dutch giant Pieter van den Hoogenband in 2004.

The medal was a first for 17-year-old McIntosh, who finished fourth in Tokyo in 2021 and held the world record for four months last year until Titmus took it back. 

(With inputs from Reuters)