PARIS: US legend Katie Ledecky surged ahead of Australian champion Ariarne Titmus over the final lap of their Olympic 400m freestyle heat to edge her fierce rival.
But Titmus, the reigning Olympic champion in the event, appeared entirely unfazed as she was ushered through the media mixed zone at the Paris La Defense Arena on Saturday night (AEST).
Ledecky clocked the fastest time of the heats with a 4:02.19, while Titmus qualified for the highly anticipated final with the second-quickest time, posting a 4:02.46.
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“I don’t think so, it’s a heat swim,” Titmus said when asked if Ledecky’s heat win gave the American a psychological edge.
“The only job for me was to just get in the middle lanes. I tried to conserve as much as I could.”
Katie Ledecky (left) and Ariarne Titmus. Maddie Meyer/Getty Images
The rest of the eight-strong field for the final consists of New Zealand’s Erika Fairweather (4:02.55), Canadian teen ace Summer McIntosh (4:02.65), Australian Jamie Perkins (4:03.30), American Paige Madden (4:03.34), Brazilian Maria Fernanda Costa (4:03.47) and German Isobel Gose (4:03.83).
The atmosphere inside the Paris La Defense Arena was electric. Cheers, roars, whistles, beating drums and national flags waving in the stands made for an incredible buzz.
When the first finals session of the swimming program runs its course on Sunday morning (AEST), the roof of the $596 million venue may blow off.
Check out below how the rest of the heats played out.
Women’s 100m butterfly
Australia’s Emma McKeon and Alexandria Perkins both advanced to the semi-finals.
McKeon, Australia’s most decorated Olympian, recorded the fifth-fastest time with a 56.79, while Perkins was eighth-fastest with a 57.46.
Emma McKeon. Jari Pestelacci/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images
Men’s 100m breaststroke
Australia’s Sam Williamson, the reigning world champion in the men’s 50m breaststroke, had a shocker in his 100m breaststroke heat, battling through the two-lap race in 1:00.50. He clocked the 24th-fastest time, meaning he was not quick enough to earn a spot in the semi-finals. His personal best is 58.80.
But fellow Australian Joshua Yong progressed to the semi-finals by registering a 59.75, the 12th-fastest time of the heats.
Men’s 400m freestyle
Australian pair Elijah Winnington and Sam Short booked their places in the final by posting the fourth-fastest and fifth-fastest times respectively. Winnington clocked a 3:44.87 and Short a 3:44.88.
South Korean swimmer Kim Woo-min, who was this week controversially backed to win the final by Australian coach Michael Palfrey, qualified for the final with the seventh-fastest time, clocking a 3:45.52.
Winnington was the 2022 world champion and Short the 2023 world champion.
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Women’s 4x100m freestyle relay
Australia’s all-conquering team crushed their heat, stopping the clock at 3:31.57 to qualify for the final with the fastest time. Olivia Wunsch, Bronte Campbell, Meg Harris and Emma McKeon teamed up for the heat.
Making up the rest of the field for the final are the US, China, Sweden, France, Canada, Great Britain and Italy.
Australia is vying to win four consecutive Olympic gold medals in the women’s 4x100m freestyle relay.
Men’s 4x100m freestyle relay
The Australian team qualified for the final with the second-fastest time, stopping the clock at 3:12.25. The Australian heat swimmers were Jack Cartwright, William Yang, Flynn Southam and Kyle Chalmers.
China claimed the fastest time of the heats, registering a 3:11.62.
The remainder of the field for the final consists of Great Britain, the US, Canada, Italy, Hungary and Germany.