Summer McIntosh Overtakes Katie Ledecky In 400 Free Final

In one of the most highly anticipated races of the season, Summer McIntosh beat Katie Ledecky to claim the 400 free gold in Singapore. On the opening night of the 2025 World Aquatics Championships, McIntosh, who slowly took the lead in the second half of the race, touched the wall two seconds ahead in 3:56.26. Ledecky, falling behind in the last 10 metres, had to settle for bronze in 3:58.49 as China’s Li Bingjie surpblocked her and Lani Pallister in 3:58.21 seconds to claim silver.

McIntosh’s performance was more than two seconds off her world record set in July at the Canadian trials. Still, she managed to register the fifth-fastest performance in the 400 free category.

“I think tonight is my biggest night of the whole meet. I think 400 free, at past World Championships and Olympics, I haven’t been at my best. So to finally stand in the center of the podium is promising for the rest of the meet,” said McIntosh, after claiming her first 400 free and ninth long-course world title.

Despite the reigning 400 free Olympic Gold medalist Ariarne Titmus skipping the season, the final event produced one of the fastest races in swimming. Following Li and Pallister’s efforts, four swimmers have now managed to break the 3:59 sub in the 400 free. 28-year-old Ledecky’s attempt to dominate the 400 free, yet again, remained untouched in “the fastest field first through fourth” ever witnessed.

Ledecky has been consistent with “training on all fronts” for this season. In May, she surpblocked McIntosh, after swimming the second-fastest 400 free of her career in 3:56.81. But today, “could’ve been better” for the nine-time Olympic gold medalist.”I was a little too focused on the race on one side, “I missed Li on the other side of me,” said Ledecky after her first-ever bronze at the Worlds.

Notably, Ledecky has now claimed 27 medals at the World Championships. She holds the second-most medals in total at the event, tied with Olympian Ryan Lochte.

ForbesA Look Into Katie Ledecky’s 800 Free Dominance; Will It Be Challenged In Singapore?By Paras J. Haji

What’s Next For Ledecky And McIntosh?

Next week, McIntosh and Ledecky will compete against each other again in the 800 free. Ledecky’s endurance in the 800 free has always been truly exceptional, showing a stronger resurgence compared to the 400 free over a few seasons. After claiming her fourth consecutive gold medal in the event at the Paris Olympics, she continued to clock top times in 2025, including lowering her world record from 2016 in May to 8:04.12. Now, the swimmer will aim to claim her seventh consecutive world title in the event.

However, McIntosh, the second-fastest swimmer behind Katie Ledecky, is also “really hyped for the 800.” After skipping the 800 free event in Paris in July 2024, months after handing Ledecky her first final loss in the event in 13 years. McIntosh will now participate in her first-ever 800 free World stage race. The 18-year-old, who set a new personal-best time of 8:05:07 at the Canadian trials in Victoria, is the second swimmer, after Ledecky, to break the 8:10 barrier.