The 16-year-old from Washington DC clocked 8min 13.86sec to beat the record of 8:14.10 set by Adlington when she won Olympic gold at Beijing in 2008.

Ledecky had also set a world record in the 1500m final earlier in the week and added the 400m freestyle title to her collection to complete an historic treble on day seven of the Championships.

She now joins Germany's Hannah Stockbauer as the only two women to have completed the 400m, 800m and 1500m freestyle treble at the same Championships, following the German's feat in 2003, and both were achieved at the Palau Saint Jordi in Barcelona.

Just as she had done in the 1500m, Ledecky battled it out with Lotte Friis of Denmark for gold.

The Dane looked in good shape with around 200m to go but Ledecky surged past her in the final two lengths, condemning Friis to silver once again while New Zealand's Lauren Boyle came in third.


"It doesn't really matter what's going on in the middle of the race," said Ledecky, who won 800m gold at London 2012.

"It's all about getting your hand on the wall first.

"My coach really wanted me to push the last 200, and I just stayed patient throughout the race like I did the other day [in the 1500], and made my move where I had to.

"It's good to finish off on a great note.

"I exceeded all expectations I had going into this meet and met all my goals, and I'm really happy right now."

Another US swimmer, Missy Franklin demonstrated her prowess in the pool also, as she finished almost two body-lengths ahead of nearest rival Belinda Hocking of Australia, setting a Championship record in the 200m backstroke of 2:04.76.


Franklin set the world record in this event when she won Olympic gold in London last year and has now collected five gold medals at this year's World Championships following wins in the 200m freestyle, 100m backstroke, 4x100m freestyle relay and 4x200m freestyle relay.

"The 200 back is my favourite race, but it's probably the most painful," said the 18-year-old defending champion.

"I enjoy it, but it hurts a lot.

"I tried to swim a smart race and stick to my race plan.

"I'm really happy with a 2:04.

"It's right where I was in London.

"I haven't been there all season, so to be a 2:04 again, I'm really, really happy."

In the women's 50m butterfly, following Friis' double disappointment, Denmark finally had a gold medal to celebrate as Jeanette Ottesen touched home first in a time of 25:24, to add to her 100 freestyle world title from Shanghai in 2011.

The 25-year-old finished ahead of Olympic 100m butterfly silver medallist Ying Lu, of China, while Dutchwoman Ranomi Kromowidjojo collected her third bronze medal of the Championships following third place finishes in the 100m freestyle and 4x100m freestyle relay.

"I didn't really feel any pressure, I was just calm and relaxed and had fun," said Ottesen, who also set a new Danish record in the 50m freestyle heats earlier in the day.

"I was just excited to win.

"It's been a very good day for me."


With the retirement of the great Michael Phelps, this year would see a new name etched on the men's 100m butterfly roll of honour following the American's monopoly of the event over the past three Championships.

South African Chad le Clos was the man to step up and claim that crown as he looks set to be the new man to beat in the butterfly discipline over the next few years.

Having already secured Olympic gold in the 200m butterfly in London, le Clos added the 200m world title earlier this week before picking up his second World Championship gold in the 100m, finishing ahead of Hungary's Laszlo Cseh and Konrad Czerniak of Poland.

Ryan Lochte, who won two gold medals last night, surprisingly finished outside the medal positions.

"Like my dad says, it's unbelievable," said 21-year-old le Clos.

"I took three months off after the Olympics and I was not sure about going to these World Championships.

"We had a good training camp in Hungary, before that, I was not in great shape so I'm just pleased with what happened."


The final of the men's 50m freestyle, saw Cesar Cielo of Brazil claim his third successive world crown ahead of Russian Vladimir Morozov, while history was created by the man in third place as Trinidad and Tobago won its first ever medal at a swimming World Championships in the form of George Bovell.

Beijing 2008 champion Cielo, accused of consuming banned substance furosemide in 2011 before being cleared by a tribunal of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), finished in of 21.32 to claim a sixth career World Championship gold medal.

"This one felt like a little bit of redemption from London," said Cielo, who finished in a disappointing bronze position at last year's Olympics.

"I am really amazed right now, and I am very much surprised.

"I feel like I am dreaming to be honest."

Meanwhile, in the qualifying rounds of the women's 50m breaststroke, Russia's Yulia Efimova and British based Lithuanian Ruta Meilutyte both set world records.

In the morning heats, Efimova, who won gold in the 200m breaststroke the night before, set a new 50m mark of 29.78 only to see rival Meilutyte beat that time in the afternoon semi-finals with 28.48, to claim her second world record of these Championships following her time of 1:04:35 in the 100m breaststroke earlier in the week.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


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