Summer Mcintosh V Katie Ledecky: A Generational Duel Set To Define The World Championships

For nan first clip successful much than a decade, Katie Ledecky whitethorn not beryllium nan astir feared swimmer successful nan pool. That grant now belongs to Summer McIntosh, nan Canadian teen looking to do what only Michael Phelps has done earlier her: triumph 5 individual golden medals astatine a azygous world swimming championships.

Their conflict successful nan 800m freestyle connected 2 August is group to beryllium nan defining infinitesimal of nan weeklong meet successful Singapore. Ledecky, nan most dressed up female swimmer successful history, is bidding for an unprecedented seventh world title astatine nan region she has dominated since 2013. McIntosh, conscionable 18, is nan only swimmer to person beaten her astatine 800m successful nan past 15 years.

They now stock much than a lane line. McIntosh grew up pinch a Ledecky quote connected her chamber wall. Now she stands fresh to situation her idol, and possibly moreover eclipse her. “Katie ever brings nan champion retired of me,” McIntosh said. “Which is why I’m ne'er tense to title her.”

McIntosh arrives successful Singapore successful historical form, having surgery world records successful nan 400m individual medley, 200m IM and 400m freestyle over a dizzying five-day span astatine Canada’s nationalist tests successful June. Her 3:54.18 successful nan 400m free obliterated Ariarne Titmus’s erstwhile world modular and group nan marker for a meet that could beryllium her coronation. While she holds nan world’s fastest clip this twelvemonth successful 4 events, she is not nan charismatic apical seed successful either nan 400m aliases 800m freestyle, some of which are led by Ledecky. Her 8:05.07 successful nan 800m is nan third-fastest successful history, down only 2 swims by nan American.

That they will meet connected nan penultimate time of title lends nan showdown moreover much drama. By then, McIntosh whitethorn already person claimed 3 aliases 4 golds. But nan 800m is Ledecky’s fortress. It is, successful US squad head Greg Meehan’s words, nan “gold standard”.

McIntosh has said she chose to adhd nan 800m this twelvemonth because it presents nan biggest challenge. She will request each ounce of stamina, particularly pinch a projected 14 aliases 15 races successful 8 days, acknowledgment to relay duties and speedy turnarounds for illustration Sunday’s 400m freestyle last followed 30 minutes later by nan 200m IM semi. “It’s a very challenging schedule she’s group for herself,” Canada caput coach Iain McDonald said. “But she thrives connected challenge.”

Yu Zidi, 12, reacts aft finishing nan women’s 200m freestyle semi-final astatine China’s nationalist swimming championships successful Shenzhen successful May. Photograph: AFP/Getty Images

Notably absent from nan 800m commencement database is Ariarne Titmus, nan Paris Olympic golden medallist in nan 400m freestyle, who is taking nan twelvemonth off. In that race, McIntosh took metallic and Ledecky claimed bronze. Ledecky, however, won golden successful nan 800m successful Paris, continuing her historical dominance successful nan event. This title offers a reordering of nan long-distance level and perchance a watershed infinitesimal successful nan sport’s history. A McIntosh triumph would not only dent Ledecky’s momentum heading into her location Olympics successful LA 2028 but awesome a existent generational shift.

Yet Ledecky remains a daunting force. In May, she rewrote her ain nine-year-old 800m world record, clocking 8:04.12 successful Florida. And while McIntosh’s programme is much grueling, Ledecky’s focused schedule whitethorn let her to conserve power for nan marquee clash.

Even if McIntosh comes up short successful nan 800m, she remains nan overwhelming favourite successful nan medley events and nan 200m butterfly. Her versatility is specified that McDonald says it’s difficult to moreover sanction her champion event. Should she complete nan sweep, she would subordinate Phelps arsenic nan only swimmer to triumph 5 individual golds astatine a azygous worlds.

But McIntosh isn’t nan only prodigy drafting attraction successful Singapore. China’s Yu Zidi, each of 12 years old, will statement up successful nan 200m and 400m IM and nan 200m fly. Her qualifying times would person placed her 4th successful each of those events astatine nan Paris Olympics. Yu is already 15 seconds faster than McIntosh was astatine nan aforesaid age. “There’s ever personification coming up next,” McDonald said. “That’s nan quality of this sport.”

In nan men’s events, each eyes will beryllium connected France’s Léon Marchand, nan four-time Olympic golden medallist who rocked La Défense Arena not moreover a twelvemonth agone successful delivering a “perfect” location Games. His coach, Bob Bowman, has urged a much streamlined attack for Singapore: Marchand has dropped nan 200m alert and 200m breaststroke to attraction connected nan 200m and 400m IM, pinch nan anticipation of relay appearances.

Marchand is expected to take sides his world titles and whitethorn moreover situation Ryan Lochte’s long-standing world grounds of 1:54.00 successful nan 200m IM. “The anticipation is for him to do arsenic good arsenic he tin wherever he is now, not wherever he was past summer,” Bowman said. Marchand returned to Bowman’s programme successful Austin aft a little post-Olympic slump. Whether he tin conjure nan aforesaid brilliance successful Singapore, 3 years retired from LA 2028, will beryllium 1 of nan meet’s cardinal questions.

France’s Léon Marchand swam to 4 individual golden medals successful six days astatine La Défense Arena past summertime astatine nan Paris Olympics. Photograph: Oli Scarff/AFP/Getty Images

Sprinters predominate nan remainder of nan men’s programme. China’s Pan Zhanle, caller disconnected a blistering 46.40 to triumph Olympic golden successful Paris, will take sides his 100m free title. Romanian David Popovici, who held nan world grounds earlier Pan’s rise, will beryllium a apical contender successful some nan 100m and 200m free. Ireland’s Daniel Wiffen, nan reigning world champion successful nan 800m and 1,500m freestyle, is besides aiming high. The 22-year-old has his sights group connected Zhang Lin’s super-suit-era world grounds of 7:32.12 successful nan 800m, a people galore thought untouchable. “I judge that each world records will beryllium broken,” Wiffen said recently. “And I’m consenting to push myself to that limit to get it.”

Great Britain’s Duncan Scott, an eight-time Olympic medallist, has streamlined his ain programme successful pursuit of that elusive individual world title. “That arena is each I’ve sewage now, truthful I’m going to put each my eggs successful 1 basket,” he said of nan 200m IM, wherever he’ll again look Marchand.

Scott besides anchors Britain’s men’s 4x200m freestyle relay, nan defending Olympic champions. The quartet – Scott, Matt Richards, Tom Dean and James Guy – now activity their first world title together.

Elsewhere, American prima Gretchen Walsh is looking to person her short-course success into long-course dominance, and Australia’s Mollie O’Callaghan returns arsenic a superior threat successful nan sprint freestyles.

The Singapore Sports Hub’s caller 4,800-seat arena is simply a fitting shape for nan post-Olympic reset. Nearly 30 nations are expected to triumph medals, a testament to swimming’s increasing world depth. But for each nan newcomers and nationalist aspirations, nan defining communicative whitethorn still travel down to 2 swimmers successful a azygous race. “Perhaps Summer would beryllium nan 1 who wanted to situation that,” McIntosh’s coach Fred Vergnoux said of her determination to return connected Ledecky astatine 800m. “She accepted nan situation a spot early, for these worlds. But I deliberation she’s ready.”