Katie Ledecky of the U.S. competes through the girls’s 800m freestyle ultimate on the World Swimming Championships in Fukuoka, Japan, on Saturday.

Lee Jin-man/AP

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Lee Jin-man/AP

Katie Ledecky of the U.S. competes through the girls’s 800m freestyle ultimate on the World Swimming Championships in Fukuoka, Japan, on Saturday.

Lee Jin-man/AP

FUKUOKA, Japan — Here’s why Katie Ledecky is among the biggest freestyle swimmers within the historical past of the game: She isn’t fairly happy.

The 26-year-old American gained the 800-meter freestyle on Saturday on the world championships to turn out to be the primary swimmer to win six golds in the identical occasion at worlds. It was additionally her sixteenth particular person world title, breaking a tie with Michael Phelps for probably the most golds at worlds.

She is also a seven-time Olympic gold medalist and the world document holder in each the 800 and 1,500.

But that profitable time — 8 minutes, 8.87 seconds, which is the seventh-quickest she’d ever swum — wasn’t fairly ok in her favourite occasion.

“I’m just always trying to think of new ways to improve. I mean I’ve already got everything turning in my head right now. I kind of wanted to be better than I was tonight,” she mentioned, twirling her proper hand beside her proper ear, attempting to fire up concepts.

“I’m pretty tough on myself,” she mentioned. “But I think I have found the balance of being tough on myself but also having that grace.”

The 800 was Ledecky’s second particular person gold following her win within the 1,500 free on Tuesday. She additionally took silver within the 400 free. Li Bingjie of China took silver in 8:13.31, and Ariarne Titmus of Australia received the bronze in 8:13.59.

“It’s fun to leave a meet with your favorite event, and I just wanted to leave it all in the pool,” Ledecky mentioned.

It was solely the fourth gold for the United States within the seventh of eight days within the pool. Meanwhile, Australia has been piling it on with 13 golds, matching its greatest on the worlds. Australia gained three extra golds on Saturday.

The Americans lead the general desk with 31 medals (16 silver), Australia has 20 and China 13.

Kaylee McKeown of Australia made historical past of her personal with gold within the girls’s 200 backstroke. McKeown’s victory gave her a sweep of all three backstroke occasions after earlier wins within the 50 and 100. She turned the primary swimmer to brush all three backstrokes on the worlds.

It all made up for her disqualification earlier within the 200 IM.

“You can’t change the rules,” she mentioned. “I got ruled out. It’s just the cards I was dealt with and I couldn’t do much more than that. So I just had to carry myself the best I could and channel all my anger and turn a huge negative into a positive.”

Regan Smith of the United States picked up the silver in 2:04.94, whereas Peng Xuwei of China received the bronze in 2:06.74.

Sarah Sjöström of Sweden continued her dominance with gold within the 50 butterfly. The 29-year-old gained in 24.77 seconds and has now gained the occasion 5 consecutive occasions on the worlds. The win introduced Sjöström’s particular person medals on the worlds to twenty, equaling Phelps’ mark.

Sjöström additionally broke her personal document within the 50 free, going 23.61 in a semifinal warmth. Her outdated mark was 23.67 set in 2017.

“There are not too many secrets,” Sjöström mentioned about her longevity. “Just do the work every day, go to practice, and stay humble.”

Zhang Yufei of China, who took gold within the 100 fly, claimed the silver in 25.05, whereas American Gretchen Walsh received the bronze in 25.46.

Japanese fan favourite Rikako Ikee completed seventh (25.78) within the 50 fly however was greeted warmly by the house crowd.

The 23-year-old Ikee gained six gold medals on the 2018 Asian Games and was anticipated to be a favourite within the Tokyo Olympics. But she was recognized with leukemia in February 2019. Her comeback continues to resonate with each the Japanese public and her fellow opponents.

Cameron McEvoy of Australia led all the way in which to seize the gold within the 50 free in 21.06. It was his first particular person gold within the worlds or Olympics.

American Jack Alexy collected his second silver of the worlds in 21.57 to go together with his silver within the 100 free. Benjamin Proud of Britian, final 12 months’s world champion, took the bronze in 21.58.

Caeleb Dressel gained the occasion on the Olympics however didn’t qualify for the U.S. workforce. McEvoy’s time was faster than Dressel’s profitable time in Tokyo — 21.07.

Maxime Grousset of France gained gold within the 100 fly in 50.14. The 24-year-old took the early lead and held on. Josh Liendo of Canada earned the silver in 50.34, whereas American Dare Rose made the rostrum with the bronze (50.46).

Ruta Meilutyte of Lithuania equaled the world document of 29.30 in her semifinal within the 50 breaststroke.

Australia gained the 4×100 blended freestyle relay in a world document of three:18.83. The Americans took silver in 3:20.82, with Britain getting the bronze in 3:21.68. The relay will not be an Olympic occasion.