Katie Ledecky, USA Win Silver: Women's 4x200M Olympic Freestyle Relay Medal Winners

Australia outdueled the United States in the latest battle between the two sides inside the Paris La Defense Arena pool to win the women's 4x200-meter freestyle relay.

The Aussies reclaimed the gold medal in the event for the first time since 2008. The United States won two of the last three Olympic races and China took gold in Tokyo.

Australia entered the pool as the clear favorite after it threw down a 7:45.63 in the qualifying heats, a time that was six seconds better than Hungary and the United States.

Australia led after the first leg of the relay and bolstered its lead during the second leg, though China and the United States were still very much in the race. A valiant effort from Katie Ledecky during the third leg saw the United States neck and neck with the Aussies, but ultimately Australia managed to pull away comfortably in the final 50 meters thanks to Ariarne Titmus.

Even though it didn't win gold, the United States held off a strong push from China to claim the silver medal.

With the United States' silver-medal performance, Ledecky now has the most medals ever by an American woman Olympian with 13. She has the chance to add another medal before the end of the Paris Olympics as she'll compete in the 800-meter freestyle.

Results

1. Austalia (7:38.08)
2. United States (7:40.86)
3. China (7:42.34)
4. Canada (7:46.05)
5. Great Britain (7:48.23)
6. Hungary (7:50.52)
7. Brazil (7:52.90)
8. New Zealand (7:55.89)

The win was the latest triumph in the pool for Australia's female swimmers. It won the 4x100-meter freestyle relay. Ariarne Titmus, Mollie O'Callaghan and Kaylee McKeown all won individual golds.