For the first time in nearly a decade, seven-time Olympic champion Katie Ledecky lost a race on American soil.
Ledecky saw her nine-year winning streak in the U.S. come to a shocking end on Friday when Canadian teenager Summer McIntosh narrowly beat her in the 200-meter freestyle at a Pro Series swim meet in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. McIntosh, a 16-year-old rising star on the international swimming scene, finished in a winning time of 1 minute, 54.13 seconds, 0.83 seconds ahead of Ledecky.
McIntosh also lowered her own world junior record with the swim, besting the mark she set at last year’s world championships.
The loss marked Ledecky’s first in a freestyle long course race of 200 meters or longer in the U.S. since she lost to fellow American Allison Schmitt in 2014. Since that defeat, Ledecky has gone on to establish herself as one of the most dominant swimmers the sport has ever seen.
In addition to her seven Olympic gold medals, Ledecky boasts 19 world championship golds—the most in swimming history by a woman. She is also the world record holder in the women’s 800- and 1500-meter freestyle in both long course and short course events.
Ledecky is slated to compete in the 2024 Paris Olympics, but has not yet confirmed her schedule for the Games. McIntosh will also be present and stands to be a medal threat in a handful of the distance events.
