Ledecky’s run opens with two gold medals

BUDAPEST, Hungary — Katie Ledecky is off to a golden start at the world championships.

The 20-year-old American star began an audacious week by winning a pair of gold medals Sunday on the opening night of swimming along the Danube River. She cruised to a dominating victory in the 400-meter freestyle and put the U.S. ahead to stay in the 4x100 free relay.

Anchored by Nathan Adrian, the American men also won gold in the 4x100 free.

“It was a good night for Team USA,” Ledecky said. “I’m happy with my two swims and how it all went.”

The only blip of a disappointment: Ledecky didn’t break the 400 free world record she set last summer at Rio de Janeiro

Ledecky touched in 3 minutes, 58.34 seconds — more than 3 seconds ahead of U.S. teammate Leah Smith but nearly 2 seconds off the world record (3:56.46) from the Olympics. China’s Li Bingjie claimed the bronze.

An hour later, Ledecky returned to the pool for the relay — a down-and-back sprint that is the weakest of her distances, but one that provides an opportunity to equal Missy Franklin’s female record of six gold medals at the 2013 worlds.

Ledecky turned in the slowest split on the American team, actually slipping to third on her 50 flip. But she powered back to the front by the time she passed off to Olympic champion Simone Manuel, who closed it out for the Americans.

Sarah Sjostrom set a blistering opening pace for Sweden, taking down the first swimming world record of the championships with a split of 51.71. She eclipsed the 100 free mark of 52.06 set last year by Australia’s Cate Campbell.

But Sweden didn’t have enough speed on the back end and faded to fifth. Manuel, who is from Houston, touched in 3:31.72, anchoring a team that included rising star Mallory Comerford and Kelsi Worrell.