Katie Ledecky's Aussie rival Ariarne Titmus breaks 200m freestyle world record at Australian Swimming Olympic Trials 2024

Australian Olympic champion and one of Katie Ledecky's closest rivals, Ariarne Titmus, shattered the 200m freestyle world record in her bid to secure a ticket to the Paris Olympics at the Australian Swimming Olympic Trials on Wednesday.

Ariarne Titmus is one of the most decorated freestyle swimming athletes. Hailing from Tasmanian Island, she is the reigning Olympic champion in the 200m freestyle and 400m freestyle. She also won a silver in the 800m freestyle and a bronze in the 4 x 200m freestyle relay at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Titmus has also secured nine world championship medals across various freestyle disciplines.

Now, the Aussie has added another feather to her freestyle crown as she clocked in a blazing finish of 1:52.23 in the 200m freestyle in the trials held in Brisbane on Wednesday, June 12. With this, she surpassed her compatriot Mollie O’Callaghan's previous record that she set in the 2023 World Championships. She was 0.62 seconds faster than O’Callaghan's previously held record of 1:52.85.

Although O’Callaghan was also there in trials, offering a close competition to Titmus, she finished the heat in 1:52.48s, a new personal best time for her. Swim Swam posted the update on the coverage on their X handle and wrote:

"WORLD RECORD ALERT. ARIARNE TITMUS is the girl on🔥."

Ariarne Titmus also won the 400-meter freestyle event, and the 23-year-old swimmer has secured her berth for the Paris Olympics 2024.

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A brief look at Ariarne Titmus and Katie Ledecky's pool rivalry

Fukuoka 2023 World Aquatics Championships: Swimming - Day 7

Besides her medals, titles, and world records, Ariarne Titmus is also known for her rivalry with her American counterpart, Katie Ledecky, which came on full display during the 2019 World Championships when the latter ended Ledecky's six-year unbeaten streak in the 400-meter freestyle to win the title.

Titmus also defeated Ledecky at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 in their 400m freestyle faceoff, where the Australian prodigy stood atop the podium, clocking in at 3:56.69, while the American phenom had to settle for a silver with a 3:57.36 second-place finish.

Katie Ledecky redeemed herself in the 800m freestyle at the same quadrennial event and clinched the gold after touching the wall in 8:12.57, while Titmus placed second with 8:13.83.

However, Titmus said after her Tokyo Olympics victory that Ledecky pushes her to do her best in the pool, as she stated (via Olympics.com).

"I wouldn't be here without her. If I didn't have someone like her to chase, I definitely wouldn't be swimming the way I am."