73 minutes. The time between the final of the 200m and that of the 1,500m. Katie Ledecky wanted to tackle a crazy challenge. That of landing on the top step of the podium over two distances that do not require the same efforts. This Wednesday, in Tokyo, the American, as in the 200m on Monday, had to bow to Australian Ariarne Titmus (who beat Hong Kong's Siobhan Bernadette Haughey and Canadian Penny Oleksiak). Silver medalist in the 400m, Ledecky had to settle for 5th place in the 200m. For the first time in her Olympic career, she did not appear in the first two… Just enough time to dry off and she found herself on the starting block for the 1,500m, a newcomer to the Olympics. A race whose rhythm she controls.A distance over which she put her foot down with the ten best lap times in history.
To discover
The full Olympic program
The Olympic medal table
A race from start to finish (ahead of her compatriot Erica Sullivan at 4''07 and the German Sarah Kohler at 5''57).
A gold medal (the 6th in his Olympic collection) greeted with deep relief and deep emotion.
A rare expression.
That of a queen who is overshadowed by a successful Australian swimmer.
Katie Ledecky has two more events to highlight in Tokyo: the 4x200m, in which the Americans are the title holders, then with those of the 800m.
I want people to care more about other things that are going on in the world, people who are really in pain.
Katie Ledecky
The American star summed up on ESPN the turmoil and pride she felt: “
There might be people who feel disappointed that I don't win everything, but I want people to care more about the other things that are going on. in the world, people who are really in pain. I'm just proud to bring home a gold medal for the United States team (…) After the 200, I knew I had to turn the page very quickly. In the warm-up pool, I thought of my family, of my grandparents. These are the four strongest mentally strong people I know. It helped me get through this ordeal.
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