‘I’m absolutely buggered’: Titmus couldn’t stop the machine that is Ledecky

Twelve years ago to the day, Katie Ledecky won her first 800m freestyle Olympic gold medal. On August 3, 2012, she was 15 years old, and the London Games was her first international competition.

Ariarne Titmus was 11, and had not yet contested her first age nationals in Australia. “I hadn’t started swimming 100m freestyle yet … I was in grade 6 in primary school,” Titmus said. “That’s how remarkable she is.”

Katie Ledecky and Ariarne Titmus celebrate their gold and silver medals in the 800m freestyle.Credit: Getty Images

The grade-6 Titmus watched on television as Ledecky stunned the 800m final field in London by more than four seconds. Her 8:14.63 was then the second-fastest of all time and 0.53 seconds short of breaking Rebecca Adlington’s world record that had stood since 2008.

“I also remember watching her Rio win in 8:04.79 [the world record still stands today], and at the same time I was in Hawaii, racing at the Junior Pan Pacs [Pan Pacific championships], and I was an 8:37 swimmer. To think that eight years later I challenged her to her fourth consecutive gold in the 800m is pretty cool.”

Challenge her she did. In Paris, on August 3, 2024, Titmus followed her long-time rival out hard in her favoured race. Ledecky tried to shake her off. Titmus stayed on her shoulder. Both under world-record time until almost the halfway point. Titmus never in front, but always close enough to be in it. Knowing the only way to test Ledecky’s “incredible ability to sustain in a race” was to go with her and hang on for dear life.

The battle was mesmerising. It was not until the last 200m that Ledecky’s peerless capacity for late-race regeneration finally broke the Australian, but it was not by much: an 8:11.04 followed by an 8:12.29. The latter was an Oceania record and a personal best, and Titmus’ second consecutive 800m Olympic silver.

Titmus stayed with Ledecky as long as she could.Credit: Getty Images

“Recently she [Titmus] has been taking it out fast and trying to hold on, and I figured she’d try to stay with me as long as she could,” Ledecky said. “I just tried to stay calm, tried to inch my way forward each lap.”Lani Pallister, who is recovering from COVID-19, fought hard for third spot before ultimately touching in sixth (8:21.09).

Titmus was exhausted even before diving into the pool at La Defense Arena, having already completed six races across an eight-day meet that included beating Ledecky to 400m freestyle gold for a second consecutive Games. “But I just don’t think I’d be able to sleep at night if I second-guessed my approach to the race,” said the 23-year-old Tasmanian. “I left it all out there, and I’m really proud of my efforts.”

Before Saturday night Ledecky had 28 of the 29 fastest 800m times in history. Canadian Summer McIntosh spoiled the set in February at a US meet – the only time Ledecky has been beaten in a 16-lap final since 2010. Now Titmus can lay claim to being another blip on that radar.

Ariarne Titmus said she was “absolutely buggered” after the 800m.Credit: Getty Images

That is no mean feat given Ledecky, whose name already comes with too many descriptors to list, has just added another couple to her bulging résumé. This Olympic gold medal is the 27-year-old’s ninth, bringing her level with Russian gymnast Larisa Latynina for the most golds won in Olympic history by a female athlete in any sport.

She also becomes the first woman to win four consecutive Olympic gold medals in the same individual event in any sport (Poland’s Anita Wlodarczyk could yet join them in the women’s hammer throw in Paris). Michael Phelps is the only man to have won four individual swimming golds in four straight Games.

“Given Michael’s the only one who’s ever done that shows how difficult that is,” Ledecky said. “I think especially in the 800m – it’s a lot of miles. Year after year, trying to put in the work. I wouldn’t have pictured that in 2012.”

Especially not on August 3.

“It’s almost like your birthday, August 3,” she said. “Every August 3 the video [of her London gold] gets posted somewhere and you reminisce. So when I saw [the Paris race] was August 3 I thought, ‘oh boy, got to get the job done’.”

Once it was done, the pair hugged over the lane rope and chatted on and off, all the way to awaiting media; one of swimming’s defining rivalries underpinned by mutual respect. “I said to her after the race that she’s made me a better athlete,” Titmus said. “I hope I’ve made her a better athlete. I respect what she has done in this sport more than anyone else, and I feel so privileged to race alongside her.”

Mid-interview, Titmus was interrupted by her coach Dean Boxall, who found his long-time student in the mixed zone for an embrace that left both with tears in their eyes. Once he had rushed off again, she spoke of relief to have finished her campaign on a high note. To have finished it at all.

“I knew what to expect physically coming into this, from learning from the last Olympics,” said Titmus, who leaves with two gold medals and two silvers. “But emotionally, this week, I had so much expectation on me the past few years to go back-to-back and continue my winning streak internationally, [in] the 400m especially.

“You kind of put that in a little box and put it in the corner and don’t really recognise it. I am so good at putting that pressure in a little pile and using it to my advantage to race. But then, when it’s off your back, somehow it creeps out and just explodes, and I’m feeling the most unbelievable sense of relief now that I’m done.”

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