Summer McIntosh & Katie Ledecky go HEAD-TO-HEAD in the Women's 400 Free in Ft. Lauderdale

Top 8:

Summer McIntosh (TXLA)- 3:58.91
Katie Ledecky (3:59.02
Emma Weyant (GSC)- 4:07.03
Nikolett Padar (TXLA)- 4:09.49
Cavan Gormsen (UN)- 4:11.28
Erin Gemmell (TXLA)- 4:11.42
Rylee Erisman (LAKR)- 4:12.54
Audrey Derivaux (JW)- 4:12.65

This race was exactly what we could have hoped for, as Ledecky and McIntosh were side by side. McIntosh and Ledecky were both on sub-4:00 pace through the first 200 free. But it was McIntosh turning about half a second ahead of Ledecky at the halfway point.

The two of them were breathing right on each other on the 2nd 50; McIntosh’s lead had shrunk a bit, with just 100 meters to go. Ledecky still trailed, but by just a hair.

The final 50 meters were nothing but grit as McIntosh and Ledecky both worked for every ounce of water and every inch of space. The lead that McIntosh had built proved to be just enough, as it was the Canadian taking the win by just over a tenth of a second in 3:58.91, leaving Ledecky just behind in 3:59.02. That time moves Ledecky into 2nd in the world this season in the 400 free.

Emma Weyant then powered home to finish 3rd, a near three-second drop from her prelims performance of 4:09.89, clocking 4:07.03.