USA's Katie Ledecky Wins Bronze in 400m Freestyle at 2025 World Swim Championships

Canada's Summer McIntosh strolled to victory in the women's 400-meter freestyle at the 2025 World Swim Championships, with Katie Ledecky adding a bronze to her impressive career haul.

China's Li Bingjie narrowly edged out Ledecky in the final few meters to earn silver:

The 400-meter freestyle isn't Ledecky's strongest event. The gold medal winner at the 2016 Summer Olympics, she settled for silver in 2020 and then bronze in 2024.

Ledecky's final time Sunday (3:58.49) was actually a little faster than she swam in Paris (4:00.86), but McIntosh likewise made improvement from her performance from last year.

The result further cements how the 18-year-old is the biggest threat to Australia's Ariarne Titmus, the 2023 champion. Titmus is taking this season off as she focuses her efforts on the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles, which will be her Olympic swan song.

Prior to Sunday's triumph, McIntosh broke the 400-meter freestyle world record in June during the Canadian trials. She'll head into Los Angeles as the firm favorite at this rate.

McIntosh has another opportunity to make a major statement in Singapore with she and Ledecky entered into the 800-meter freestyle.

This is firmly Ledecky's domain. The 28-year-old has set and reset the world record multiple times over, and she owns a combined 13 gold medals in the race.

McIntosh posted the third-fastest time ever (8:05.07) at the Canadian trials, though, and she has a head-to-head victory over Ledecky. Her 2024 win was the first time since 2010 that anybody had beaten the American over 800 meters.

Should McIntosh go on to repeat that feat in Saturday's 800-meter final, the symbolism will be obvious.