The women's 400 metres freestyle, though not fully meeting the 'Race of the Century' expectations, ignited the Paris Olympic pool on Saturday as Australian Ariarne Titmus claimed gold. The race boasted a stellar lineup featuring the world's three quickest women over the distance, each of whom has held the world record at some point, setting the stage for a historic Olympic showdown. However, Titmus dominated the event, leading from start to finish and finishing nearly a second ahead of silver medalist Canadian teenager Summer McIntosh and over three seconds ahead of her main competitor, American Katie Ledecky, who took bronze. The La Defense Arena buzzed with excitement for a race anticipated to be one of the Olympic highlights.
Compared to the legendary men's 'Race of the Century' at the 2004 Athens Olympics, where Australian Ian Thorpe won gold in the 200m free, this race carried immense hype and expectations that were challenging to fulfill. Titmus, who has remained undefeated over the distance since 2019, admitted feeling more pressure for this race than any other in her life. She emphasized that the Olympics are unique, not just about speed but about touching the wall first.
Ledecky, competing in her fourth Olympics, had signaled her readiness to reclaim the gold she lost to Titmus in Tokyo by posting the fastest time in the morning heats. Recognized as one of the sport's greatest, Ledecky acknowledged the tough competition and praised McIntosh's performance. With 11 Olympic medals to her name, Ledecky and Titmus, who has six, have faced each other multiple times, but Saturday's race marked a significant chapter in their 400m free Olympic rivalry.
Titmus, with gold-painted nails, appeared calm and cheerful on the pool deck, in contrast to the serious demeanor of Ledecky and McIntosh. She maintained her lead throughout, initially battling Ledecky and then McIntosh in the final 100 meters, ultimately touching the wall first to become the first woman since Martha Norelius (1924, 1928) to win the event twice.
