2023 WORLD AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS
- July 23 to 30, 2023
- Fukuoka, Japan
- Marine Messe Fukuoka
- LCM (50m)
- Meet Central
- SwimSwam Preview Index
- Entry Book
- Live Results (Omega)
- Day 1 Prelims Live Recap | Day 1 Finals Live Recap
Ariarne Titmus said the only way to beat Summer McIntosh and Katie Ledecky in Sunday’s 400-meter freestyle final was to “take it out, to see who had the most fight, and who had the most gas left in the tank.” The gung-ho strategy paid off as the 22-year-old Aussie triumphed in a new world record of 3:55.38, which she called “probably my most satisfying win.”
That’s saying a lot considering Titmus has already collected some huge victories throughout her career, including handing Ledecky her first loss in an individual Olympic final two summers ago in Tokyo. She admitted that her preparation wasn’t “the most perfect” coming into this meet, but the key in this star-studded showdown was swimming “really free and fearless.”
“I think it’s about trusting yourself,” Titmus said. “I mean I’ve got a ‘fearless’ tattoo on my foot so I can see that before I dive. I try to swim like that little girl I was first up against Katie (Ledecky). I was never afraid to take it to her. The only way to win is to take it out, to see who had the most fight, and who had the most gas left in the tank. I am happy that it worked.
“I was really excited for this race coming in tonight — I haven’t really raced the best in the world since the Olympics,” she added. “I mean, Katie (Ledecky) and Summer (McIntosh) always put up a great fight and I’m glad that we could put on a show and that women’s sport is really getting hyped up. I feel really blessed to be part of it.”
Ledecky said she “can’t really complain” about her silver-medal performance in 3:58.73, while New Zealand’s Erika Fairweather dipped under four minutes for the first time (3:59.59) and kept McIntosh off the podium with a surprise bronze.
“I didn’t expect to be in that position with Summer (McIntosh) in my sights,” Fairweather said. “But I have a pretty strong last 50. I think those three (Ariarne Titmus, Katie Ledecky and Summer McIntosh) are phenomenal swimmers and I knew that there was always going to be a massive battle there. To fly under the radar and to stay with them was good and kind of took the pressure off a little bit.”
It was a huge night for the Aussies, who added gold medals in the men’s 400 free (Sam Short, 3:40.68) as well as both 4×100 freestyle relays. The Aussie women demolished their own world record by nearly two seconds while the men claimed their first world title in the event since 2011. After bringing his team back from 3rd place on the final leg with a 46.56 anchor, Kyle Chalmers characterized the race as “probably one of our proudest moments ever in Australian swimming history.”
“For us to be able to stand on top of the podium tonight, the first time since Shanghai in 2011 — I’ve spent a lot of time with those guys that won in Shanghai and they talked so highly of that moment and that feeling,” said Chalmers, who took silver in the men’s 4×100 freestyle relay last year and bronze in 2019. “I think it was Matt Abood that was the anchor of that leg and I remember talking to him about him watching the race and his mouth drying out and the same thing happened to me tonight watching the race. We’ve got this amazing team coming through and I know that next year is going to be very special. Every time we race we want to win, especially in a relay, and we did that tonight.”
Jack Cartwright added that it was “good getting on top of the podium just like the girls do every year.”
Last but certainly not least, there were fireworks in the men’s 400 IM with 21-year-old Frenchman Leon Marchand taking down the longest-standing world record belonging to Michael Phelps from the 2008 Olympics. Marchand reached the wall in 4:02.50 to shave 1.34 seconds off Phelps’ previous global standard.
Marchand referred to the effort as “one of the most painful things I did,” but he rejoiced that “this time is crazy” and “the best is yet to come.”
21-year-old American Carson Foster seemed content with his silver medal as well as having “a front row seat” to witnessing history by Marchand.
“Obviously the goal is always to win and Leon’s a great competitor,” Foster said. “I’m lucky that I get to set my goals high, to try and win. Out there, being the closest person to history, was pretty cool getting a front row seat.”
After the race, the podium finishers were awarded medals by none other than Phelps himself. It was Foster’s first time meeting the most decorated Olympian of all time.
“That was really cool,” Foster said. “I told (Phelps) he was my idol growing up. He was the one that kind of made me get into swimming. I remember 2008, I wasn’t that into swimming, but my parents made us sit down and watch every race he swam. So that was my first time ever meeting him actually. So that was really cool.”
You could really tell how much this one meant from her reaction afterwards and the small exchange between her an Ledecky was touching (it’s a shame the cameras didn’t get Ledecky in the picture).
Very happy Aussie here. What a day 1.
I am predicting a WR in the 200m free, AT to go 1.52.7
“Then happy low, lie down.
Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown” – Shakespeare (King Henry IV)
I honestly didn’t think Titmus had it in her mentally after what she said during trials about retiring. Clearly that was just temporary!
She didn’t say anything of the sort. When asked about continuing swimming until 2028 she said something about only 2024 is her focus. She was mis-quoted by the media.
Titmus looked good in the heat. I thought she might be in a funk after losing the world record and show up in 3:58 shape. The heat hinted otherwise. Ledecky’ performance was logical. She’s losing ground at 400 to follow up on same at 200. I hope we aren’t treated to more rounds of inflated projections when she has another strong showing in a regular meet.
It was shocking that Summer did not take it out. Fourth place could have been semi rationalized if it had been a fly and die. Be true to yourself. Instead her strategy basically gave her no chance. Now it remains to be seen if she’ll have a down meet, or perhaps there’s some type… Read more »
This is Summer’s first international meet as a favorite. It’s a lot of pressure, and this was a tough race for her first one of the meet. I think she’ll still win the 400IM and may pull it together for a really good swim.
As for Ledecky, I think it’s a challenge to taper perfectly for a 400 on the first day of a nine day meet and still have the endurance for a 800 and 1500 later on. She had a nice back half which shows she has a lot left in the tank.
It you look at the splits from Titmus and Ledecky the middle 200 is pretty even. Titmus just had the speed in the first and last 100. Actually Ledecky was pretty even across the last 300.