Katie Ledecky makes history with stunning comeback win over Summer McIntosh in 800m freestyle

It was a Saturday, August 2, 2025, in Singapore, and American swimmer Katie Ledecky was facing a tough challenge in the women’s 800 metre freestyle final. Canada’s Summer McIntosh, for much of the first 700 metres, had a slight lead. But Katie Ledecky was determined and dug in for the last few metres to regain control of the race. It was a thrilling finish; Katie Ledecky won her seventh consecutive world title in the event, and became the single athlete with the most wins in a single event in Championships history.In the women's 800 m freestyle final on August 2 at the Sports Hub Singapore, Katie Ledecky of the US and Summer McIntosh of Canada faced off. Ledecky is 28 and McIntosh is 18.McIntosh pushed hard and led for most of the race (700 m) before Ledecky had a strong finish (100 m). Ledecky touched the wall at 8:05.62, just beating Australia’s Lani Pallister (silver — 8:05.98) and McIntosh (bronze -- 8:07.29).Ledecky spoke after the race: “That’s pretty incredible, three of us going under 8:10 … incredibly fast. They pushed me all the way.” Her win marked her seventh consecutive world title in this race, extending a streak dating back to 2013.Stanford University Won 39 Medals At Paris 2024, More Than Most CountriesSummer McIntosh entered the final with momentum, she had already won gold in the 400 m freestyle and 200 m individual medley at these championships, and held top global times in several events. Her goal was to match Michael Phelps’s record of five individual golds at a single world championship. McIntosh raced smartly and led late in the 800 free, but couldn’t maintain pace in the final 100 m. She finished third with a time of 8:07.29, missing the mark but proving she is one of the sport’s new stars.On the day before the final, during heats, Ledecky had posted the fastest qualifying time of 8:14.62, while McIntosh was third in 8:19.88, a sign the margin would be very tight on race day.