2023 WORLD AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS
- July 23 to 30, 2023
- Fukuoka, Japan
- Marine Messe Fukuoka
- LCM (50m)
- WORLD CHAMPS WATCH PARTY – DAILY
- Meet Central
- SwimSwam Preview Index
- Entry Book
- Live Results (Omega)
- Day 1 Prelims Live Recap | Day 1 Finals Live Recap
- Day 2 Prelims Live Recap | Day 2 Finals Live Recap
- Day 3 Prelims Live Recap | Day 3 Finals Live Recap
- Day 4 Prelims Live Recap | Day 4 Finals Live Recap
- Day 5 Prelims Live Recap | Day 5 Finals Live Recap
- Day 6 Prelims Live Recap | Day 6 Finals Live Recap
- Day 7 Prelims Live Recap
The most dominant 800m freestyler in history, Katie Ledecky, did her thing tonight in Fukuoka to claim her sixth straight World Championships gold medal in the event.
Ledecky fired off a time of 8:08.87 to win the gold decisively, with Li Bingjie of China and Australia’s Ariarne Titmus on clean-up duty. However, the runners-up were not too shabby, with Li producing a new Asian Record while Titmus tied her own Oceanic Record en route to respective silver and bronze.
Behind Li’s 8:31.31, 22-year-old Titmus came into the wall in a result of 8:13.59, tying her exact same performance which rendered her the gold medalist at last year’s Commonwealth Games. That outing established the Games Record, Australian Record and Oceanic Record for the Dean Boxall-trained St. Peters Western star.
Below is a comparison of Titmus’ splitting between tonight’s performance and what she strategized last year.
| Titmus 8:13.59 Fukuoka | Titmus 8:13.59 Birmingham |
| 58.71 | 58.72 |
| 1:01.70 | 1:02.15 |
| 1:02.36 | 1:02.54 |
| 1:02.87 | 1:02.76 |
| 1:02.53 | 1:02.16 |
| 1:02.90 | 1:02.35 |
| 1:02.96 | 1:02.23 |
| 59.56 | 1:00.68 |
With Li beating the Aussie this evening, Titmus gets bumped down one notch on the ladder of the top 5 performers of all time in this event.
Top 5 Women’s LCM 800 Freestyle Performers All-Time
- 8:04.79 Katie Lececky (USA) 2016
- 8:13.31 Li Bingjie (CHN) 2023
- 8:13.59 Ariarne Titmus (AUS) 2022/2023
- 8:14.10 Rebecca Adlington (GBR) 2008
- 8:14.64 Wang Jianjiahe (CHN) 2019
Titmus earned silver in this event behind Ledecky at the 2020 Olympic Games, hitting a time there in Tokyo of 8:13.83. She bypassed last year’s World Championships in order to focus on the Commonwealth Games.
I don’t think I appreciated how fast Becky Adlington was back in 2008 seeing Titmus only just a second ahead in the form of her life (albeit not her number 1 event) but still…
Congrats Arnie on your equal Oceanian Record (no such thing as an Oceanic Record).
3/3 PBs (one an equal PB) in individuals, a PB split (aka fastest split of all time) and a WR in the relay.
Fantastic week for Arnie. So much commentary that she was too old and past her peak but she sets PBs in every swim. Sensational.
I am wondering who will get more media attention, hype and money back in Australia.
McKeown with her 3 individual gold medals.
O’Callaghan with her 2 individual gold medals and world record
Or Titmus with her 1 individual gold medal and world record.
I won’t be surprised if the order will be reversed (it’s an opposite side of the World 😀 )
Titmus is certainly the biggest name of the 3 by far before this week. But I think Kaylee and Mollie will get a bit of spotlight after this
She has to be thankful Ledecky to the end of her days. Otherwise what makes her so special among Australian swimmers:
2 Olympic gold medals and two world tittles.
Oh, almost forgot – the world record that she took away from 16 years old girl (what a shame 😀 ).
Lol you really hate Arnie for being better than Katie, don’t you?
Arnie has 5 world records, 2 Olympic golds, 6 world championship titles and 8 commonwealth titles.
If Katie Ledecky didn’t exist, Arnie would have even more golds and records so she’s well and truly a star in her own right. But the fact that she had the talent and nerves to take down one of the greatest female swimmers of all time repeatedly does help her legacy.
Imagine all of the money you would have saved on prescription medication if Titmus hadn’t beaten Ledecky in the women’s 400m freestyle at the last Olympics.
It’s a lot 😀
A flower does not think of competing with the flower next to it. It just blooms. The sun is going to shine equally on all three.
are the metal handrails ok?
They should especially since she did not beat Ledecky