Summer McIntosh ends Katie Ledecky’s 13-year win streak in 800m freestyle

Canada’s 17-year-old Summer McIntosh defeated Katie Ledecky in the 800m freestyle, ending the American’s 13-year unbeaten streak at the event.

Summer McIntosh in action. | Photo Credit: Getty Images via AFP

Canada’s 17-year-old Summer McIntosh defeated Katie Ledecky in the 800m freestyle at the Southern Zone South Sectional Championships meet in Orlando on Thursday night, ending the American’s 13-year unbeaten streak at the event.

McIntosh clocked a national record of 8:11.39, beating Ledecky’s time of 8:17.12. The previous Canadian record was set by Brittany MacLean at 8:20.19.

Ledecky was the three-time defending Olympic champion in 800m and owns top 29 times ever in her pet event with McIntosh’s time the 17th-fastest ever in the 800m.

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The 26-year-old American swimmer first set the world record in the 800m in 2013 and has broken it four times since with the current one standing at 8:04.79 set at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Ledecky will bid for her fourth consecutive 800m freestyle gold at the Paris 2024 Olympics, where she can become the first female swimmer to win the same Olympic event four times.

The Canadian teen is also a world record holder in the 400m individual medley and is now the second-fastest woman in history in the 400m free and the 800m free.