Ariarne Titmus, the Australian swimmer, has once again defeated the USA’s Katie Ledecky at the Paris Olympics, successfully defending her title in the women’s 400-meter freestyle. This race was one of the most anticipated competitions of the Games, and Titmus, also known as “The Terminator,” showcased impressive form by leading from start to finish. With her nails painted in Australian gold, the 23-year-old Titmus clocked a time of 3:57.49, securing victory over Canada’s Summer McIntosh, who won the silver medal with a time of 3:58.37. Ledecky finished with the bronze, completing the race in 4:00.86, marking her second consecutive defeat in this event.

“I really felt the expectation and pressure for this race, more than I ever have before,” Titmus said after her victory. “I’m just happy to get this result for myself and feel honored to be part of this race and to swim alongside legends like Katie.”

Titmus now has three individual Olympic wins to her name and is a favorite to win both the 200 and 400-meter freestyle events in Paris, just as she did at the Tokyo Olympics. However, Ledecky has not given up yet; she is skipping competition against Titmus in the 200-meter freestyle but is favored to secure gold in both the 800 and 1500 meters.

Lukas Maertens from Germany became the first swimming champion of the Paris Olympics by winning gold in the men’s 400-meter freestyle. Maertens completed the race with an impressive time of 3:41.78, finishing ahead of Australia’s Elijah Winnington, who took silver, and Kim Woo-min from South Korea, who earned bronze.

Australia continued its success by winning the women’s 4×100 meter freestyle relay, marking their fourth consecutive Olympic title in this event. The team, consisting of Mollie O’Callaghan, Shayna Jack, Emma McKeon, and Meg Harris, set an Olympic record with a time of 3:28.92. The USA’s team finished in second place with a time of 3:30.20, while China took home the bronze medal.

In the men’s 4×100 meter freestyle relay, a team from the USA, led by Caeleb Dressel, showed strength and won gold with a time of 3:09.28. Australia secured the silver medal with a time of 3:10.35, and Italy claimed bronze with a time of 3:10.70. While the American team has dominated this event for many years, they now face increased competition from their rivals, who are fiercely battling for the coveted medals at this year’s Games.