Katie Ledecky achieved an unprecedented freestyle feat by breaking her own world record to clinch gold in the 800 meters on the penultimate day of the FINA World Championships.
Ledecky, who is 18 and recently graduated from high school, is the undoubted star of the swimming competition in Kazan, Russia. She clinched a fourth individual gold in the pool on Saturday and also was part of a winning relay team.
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In doing so, Ledecky becomes the first swimmer to win the 200-, 400-, 800- and 1,500-meter freestyle events at the same world championships. She has won 14 major international finals and has 14 consecutive victories.
Ledecky won Saturday in 8:07.39, bettering her own world record by more than three seconds.
Nearest challenger Lauren Boyle of New Zealand was more than 10 seconds back.
"I didn't realize how fast Katie was going; 8:07 is absolutely incredible," Great Britain's Jazz Carlin Carlin, who finished third, told Eurosport. "She's getting faster every time she races."
Ledecky compatriot Missy Franklin was second in the women's 200-meter backstroke. The United States won the 4x100-meter mixed freestyle relay in a world-record time of 3:23.05. Franklin anchored for Ryan Lochte, Nathan Adrian and Simone Manuel.