GET THE GOAT
Tassie’s Titmus has Ledecky in her sights
SHE’S got the gold medal to prove it really did happen but Ariarne Titmus still won’t accept she beat the GOAT fair and square.
It’s a startling admission from the Australian teenager because her stunning upset victory over Katie Ledecky at last year’s world championships in South Korea has rightly been acclaimed as one of the greatest performances in middle distance swimming.
Everyone who witnessed their titanic battle in the 400 metre freestyle final saw Titmus dig deep to mow down the American superstar on the final lap but the ‘Terminator’ isn’t counting it because she doesn’t believe it was a fair fight.
“I’ve beaten her but she said she was so sick so it still kind of sits a little bit, I don’t know how to describe it, but you didn’t beat someone when they are at their best,” Titmus said.
“Imagine if she was well, I’m guessing she probably would have beaten me, I still believe she’s better than me.”
Considered invincible until then, Ledecky’s sour response to her first international defeat was noted by everyone on the pool deck and in the stands in Gwangju.
The five-time Olympic gold medallist did not turn to congratulate the Australian immediately after the race then later withdrew from the 200m and 1500m.
Titmus beat the American again to collect a second gold medal as the lead off swimmer in the Australian 4x200m relay team that broke the world record but Ledecky turned the tables on her to win the individual 800m, her strongest event.
Their rematch over 400m at the Tokyo Olympics is now the race everyone wants to see.
The American television giant NBC travelled to the Gold Coast at the start of this year to film a special interview with Titmus that will be broadcast in the lead up to a showdown which American executives expect will be one of the most-watched swimming races in history.
That was supposed to happen on Monday but has been delayed for a year after the postponement of the Tokyo Olympics and while Titmus knows she has poked the bear, she isn’t backing away from the challenge ahead of her.
“Her, maybe not having the meet she wanted in Gwangju, if I was in her shoes that would have spurred me on a bit more,” Titmus said.
“That’s why I was pretty excited to race her this year because I think it would have been a battle of us both at our absolute best so I think the Olympics next year is just going to be another level.”
Titmus won the world title in 3:58.71, the eighth fastest time in history and her personal best, and has been steadily improving with each race.