On Saturday, Australian swimmer Ariarne Titmus made history by breaking the world record in the 400m freestyle at the World Swimming Championships in Gwangju, South Korea. Titmus, 18, finished the race in a time of 3 minutes, 58.76 seconds, beating the previous record held by American Katie Ledecky since 2016.
Titmus was the favorite to win the event going into the competition, and she did not disappoint. She was in control of the race from the start, leading the pack for the entire 400m. Her time was 0.35 seconds faster than Ledecky’s record-breaking time from three years ago.
The Australian swimmer was ecstatic after her victory, saying, “It’s an incredible feeling to break a world record. I’m so proud of myself and I’m so thankful for all of the support I’ve received from my family and friends.”
Ledecky, who won silver in the event, was also pleased with her performance. She said, “I’m really happy with my performance today. I gave it my all and I’m proud of my result. Congratulations to Ariarne on her world record.”
The victory is a major milestone for Titmus, who has been competing at an elite level since she was just 14 years old. She is now the first Australian woman to break a world record in swimming since Susie O’Neill in 2000.
The World Swimming Championships will continue until July 28th, with Titmus expected to compete in more events. She will be looking to add more world records to her name and continue her success in the pool.
