Page 19 - ARUBA TODAY

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SPORTS Monday 24 July 2017
Make it a double: Ledecky begins worlds with a pair of golds

standard she’s set. worlds. Ledecky turned
For the most part, her only in the slowest split on the
competitor is the clock. American team, actually
“It’s my second-best time,” slipping to third on her 50
Ledecky said. “There’s flip. But she powered back
no disappointment. It’s a to the front by the time
world championship gold she passed off to Olympic
medal and there’s nothing champion Simone Manuel,
to complain about there.” who closed it out for the
Ledecky touched in 3 min- Americans. Sarah Sjostrom
utes, 58.34 seconds — more set a blistering opening
than 3 seconds ahead of pace for Sweden, taking
U.S. teammate Leah Smith down the first swimming
but nearly 2 seconds off the world record of the cham-
world record (3:56.46) from pionships with a split of
the Olympics. China’s Li 51.71. She eclipsed the 100
Bingjie claimed the bronze. free mark of 52.06 set last
About an hour later, year by Australia’s Cate
Ledecky returned to the Campbell. But Sweden
pool for the relay, a down- didn’t have enough speed
and-back sprint that is the on the back end and fad-
weakest of her distances, ed to fifth. Manuel touched
but one that provides an in 3:31.72, anchoring a
United States’ gold medal winner Katie Ledecky competes in the women’s 400-meter freestyle final opportunity to equal Missy team that also included ris-
during the swimming competitions of the World Aquatics Championships in Budapest, Hungary, Franklin’s female record of ing star Mallory Comerford
Sunday, July 23, 2017.
(AP Photo/Michael Sohn) six gold medals at the 2013 and Kelsi Worrell.q
By PAUL NEWBERRY put the U.S. ahead to stay
AP National Writer in the 4x100 free relay. An-
BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) chored by Nathan Adrian,
— Katie Ledecky is off to the American men also
a golden start at the world won gold in the 4x100 free.
championships. Make it a “It was a good first night for
double. The 20-year-old Team USA,” Ledecky said.
American star began an “I’m happy with my two
audacious week by win- swims and how it all went.”
ning a pair of gold med- The only blip of a disap-
als Sunday on the opening pointment: Ledecky didn’t
night of swimming along the break the 400 free world re-
Danube River. She cruised cord she set last summer at
to a dominating victory in Rio de Janeiro. That merely
the 400-meter freestyle and demonstrates what a high