Katie Ledecky Beats Summer McIntosh in 800m Freestyle Showdown

The swimming stars will face off again in the 200m freestyle on Friday.

Published on Mar. 5, 2026

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Katie Ledecky defeated Summer McIntosh in the 800-meter freestyle at the Pro Swim Series meet in Westmont, Illinois, on Wednesday. Ledecky finished in 8:08.57, nearly two seconds ahead of McIntosh's 8:10.45. This was a highly anticipated rematch following Ledecky's victory over McIntosh at the 2025 World Championships.

Why it matters

The race between the two swimming powerhouses was closely watched, as Ledecky and McIntosh are considered among the top female freestyle swimmers in the world. The result reaffirms Ledecky's dominance in the 800m freestyle, while McIntosh continues to improve under new coach Bob Bowman.

The details

Neither swimmer achieved their personal best times, with Ledecky's winning time well short of her world record of 8:04.12 set in 2025. McIntosh also did not improve upon her best time of 8:05.07. The two will face off again in the 200m freestyle on Friday, where McIntosh holds the top entered time from the 2023 World Championships.

  • The race took place on Wednesday, March 5, 2026.
  • Ledecky and McIntosh last competed against each other at the 2025 World Championships in Singapore in August.

The players

Katie Ledecky

An American competitive swimmer and seven-time Olympic gold medalist, considered one of the greatest female freestyle swimmers of all time.

Summer McIntosh

A Canadian competitive swimmer who has emerged as one of Ledecky's top rivals, training under renowned coach Bob Bowman.

Bob Bowman

The head coach of the University of Texas swimming and diving team, known for guiding Michael Phelps to 23 Olympic gold medals.

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What’s next

Ledecky and McIntosh are set to compete again in the 200-meter freestyle on Friday at the Pro Swim Series meet.

The takeaway

The showdown between Ledecky and McIntosh in the 800m freestyle highlights the ongoing rivalry between two of the world's top female swimmers, with Ledecky maintaining her dominance in the event despite McIntosh's recent improvements under a new coach.