SINGAPORE, July 29, 2025 – Katie Ledecky proved once again why she remains the undisputed queen of distance swimming, claiming her sixth 1,500m freestyle world title and a record-extending 22nd World Championships gold medal on Tuesday in Singapore. Her time of 15:26.44—though shy of her own world record—was enough to comfortably secure gold ahead of Italy’s Simona Quadarella and Australia’s Lani Pallister.
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Unbeaten in the 1,500m since she was 13, Ledecky was in a league of her own, leading from the start and only fading slightly in the final laps. She exited the pool wrapped in the American flag, smiling at yet another milestone—her 28th World Championships medal, placing her second only to Michael Phelps (33) in total medals at the competition.
“I really hate taking breaks,” Ledecky said post-race. “The water always calls me back, and I’m just going to keep enjoying it.” Now 28, with the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics in her sights, Ledecky shows no signs of slowing down.
Meanwhile, David Popovici, Romania’s sprint sensation, delivered a masterclass in the men’s 200m freestyle. After trailing at the final turn, he surged ahead with an electric finish to touch in 1:43.53, beating American Luke Hobson by 0.31 seconds, while Japan’s Tatsuya Murasa clinched bronze.
Popovici, who won Olympic gold in Paris, confessed he had considered withdrawing before the event. “It was a mental thing, the fear of seeing my real potential,” he said. “But I’m so glad I didn’t quit.” The win marks his return to the top of the world podium, having won this event in 2022 as well.
The women’s 100m backstroke final brought another dramatic showdown between Australia’s Kaylee McKeown and American world record holder Regan Smith. McKeown powered through the final 25 meters to edge Smith with a time of 57.16—just 0.03 seconds shy of the world record. The reigning Olympic champion, who initially hadn’t planned to swim this event, called the victory emotional.
“It’s just really emotional because of the low I came off after the Olympics,” McKeown said. “To forget the pressure and just swim shows what I can do when I’m relaxed.” Smith took silver again, while Katharine Berkoff earned bronze.
The men’s 100m backstroke final was equally thrilling, with South Africa’s Pieter Coetze setting a new African record of 51.85 seconds, just ahead of Italy’s Olympic champion Thomas Ceccon by 0.05 seconds. France’s Yohan Ndoye-Brouard was narrowly behind, finishing 0.07 seconds off gold in one of the tightest races of the meet.
Germany’s Anna Elendt caused a major upset in the women’s 100m breaststroke, charging from lane one to win gold in 1:05.19, just 0.08 seconds ahead of American Kate Douglass. China’s Tang Qianting rounded out the podium in third.
Looking ahead, day four promises more excitement with five medal events. All eyes will be on Australia’s Mollie O’Callaghan, who is chasing her second world title in the women’s 200m freestyle. New Zealand’s Erika Fairweather, rebounding from a controversial disqualification in the 400m, will also feature in the final.
In the men’s 800m freestyle, Olympic champion Daniel Wiffen of Ireland faces off against a strong field including Australia’s Sam Short and Tunisia’s Ahmed Jaouadi, in what promises to be another gripping battle in the pool.
As the championships continue to deliver world-class performances and edge-of-the-seat finishes, one thing is clear—swimming’s new generation is rising fast, even as legends like Ledecky continue to reign supreme.
