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Ledecky smashes world record for women's 800m freestyle gold

Xinhua, August 13, 2016 Adjust font size:

Katie Ledecky won her fourth gold medal of the Rio Olympics and set a new world record by storming to victory in the women's 800m freestyle final on Friday.

The American clocked 8 minutes 4.79 seconds, smashing the record she set in January by 1.89 seconds.

Britain's Jazz Carlin took silver at Rio's Olympic Aquatics Stadium in 8:16.17 with Hungary's Boglarka Kapas claiming bronze in 8:16.37.

Ledecky's other gold medals at these Games came in the 200m freestyle, 400m freestyle and 4x200m freestyle. She was also part of the USA team that won the silver medal in the 4x100m freestyle relay.

Her 800m freestyle triumph was the USA's 18th gold medal of the Games, 13 of which have been in swimming. Endit