Stunner in Budapest as Ledecky beaten
Katie Ledecky surged to the wall. Someone else was already there. For the first time ever at the World Championships, Ledecky knows what it’s like to lose. Bidding to become only the second female swimmer to win six golds at a single worlds, Ledecky settled for silver in the 200metre freestyle on Wednesday evening when Italy’s Federica Pellegrini surged to a stunning victory on the final lap.
Pellegrini, the 28-year-old world-record holder, avenged a close defeat at the hands of Ledecky two years ago in Kazan, Russia. This time, it was the Italian touching first in 1 minute, 54.73 seconds.
Ledecky and Australia’s Emma McKeon tied for the silver at 1:55.18.
While Pellegrini covered her mouth in delight and climbed atop a lane rope to celebrate, Ledecky merely stared at the scoreboard. She had never seen a “2” beside her name at the world championships.
But there it was in Budapest, where Ledecky’s unbeaten streak in the secondbiggest swimming competition after the Olympics finally came to an end.
She had been 12 of 12 over the last three championships, including three golds in this stately European capital. But her most audacious schedule yet — six freestyle events covering distances ranging from 100 metres (on a relay) to 1,500 (the grueling metric mile) — finally caught up with her along the banks of the Danube.
Missy Franklin will remain the only female swimmer to win a half-dozen events at worlds, while Ledecky can still take comfort in being the winningest female swimmer overall. Twelve golds leave her trailing only fellow Americans Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte for the most victories. And one silver, too. The 28-year-old Pellegrini, who also won the world title over 200m at home in Rome in 2009 and Shanghai in 2011, said this was the last 200m freestyle of her career as she eyes retirement.
“It is an amazing medal. I thought I would get on the podium, but not the gold medal — I thought Ledecky would win it ,” said Pellegrini, who finished fourth in last year’s Olympic final in Rio de Janeiro.
“Before the last 50 metres, I thought I was in the same position as Rio, I didn’t know where I would get the energy. This is the last 200 freestyle of my career.”
Having become the first female swimmer to win 12 world titles with victory in the 1500m freestyle final on Tuesday, Ledecky had been the favourite in the 200m final, but lost on the wall.
This is the first time in 13 finals, spanning three world championships and four years, that Ledecky has not finished with a gold medal and she says the defeat will motivate her for years to come. “I knew it was going to be a tough field, but I can’t complain with the silver,” said the 20-year-old Ledecky.
“I don’t know what it was, I’ll have to review the race video and see what I could have done better.
“That will light some fire under me for the next couple of years.”
McKeon went out hard, leading at the first turn with Ledecky only fifth after the first 50m.Ledecky powered through the field and when she touched the wall second to McKeon at the final turn, it looked like the gold would go to one of the leading pair.
However, Pellegrini, the 2008 Beijing Olympic champion, put in a powerful final 50m to snatch the gold on the wall.
Home favourite Katinka Hosszu of Hungary, who had retained her 200m individual medley title on Monday, finished only seventh in a strong field. — AP, AFP