Swimming at the 2020 Summer Olympics – Women's 400 metre freestyle

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Women's 400 metre freestyle
at the Games of the XXXII Olympiad
VenueTokyo Aquatics Centre
Dates25 July 2021 (heats)
26 July 2021 (final)
Competitors26 from 19 nations
Winning time3:56.69
Medalists
1st place, gold medalist(s) Ariarne Titmus  Australia
2nd place, silver medalist(s) Katie Ledecky  United States
3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Li Bingjie  China
← 2016
2024 →
Swimming at the
2020 Summer Olympics
Sample picture of the event (unofficial)
Qualification
Freestyle
50 mmenwomen
100 mmenwomen
200 mmenwomen
400 mmenwomen
800 mmenwomen
1500 mmenwomen
Backstroke
100 mmenwomen
200 mmenwomen
Breaststroke
100 mmenwomen
200 mmenwomen
Butterfly
100 mmenwomen
200 mmenwomen
Individual medley
200 mmenwomen
400 mmenwomen
Freestyle relay
4 × 100 mmenwomen
4 × 200 mmenwomen
Medley relay
4 × 100 mmenmixedwomen
Marathon
10 kmmenwomen

The women's 400 metre freestyle event at the 2020 Summer Olympics was held from 25 to 26 July 2021 at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre.[1] It was the event's twenty-third consecutive appearance, having been held at every edition since 1924.

Summary[edit]

In one of the most anticipated races at these Games, Australia's Ariarne Titmus came from behind to hand the U.S.' defending Olympic champion Katie Ledecky her first-ever individual Olympic loss and become the first Australian to win the event since Shane Gould in 1972. Trailing Ledecky by nearly a body length at the halfway mark, Titmus launched a blistering final hundred to win the gold in 3:56.69, registering the second fastest time in history. While Ledecky took the early lead, she was unable to overtake Titmus in the final lap, settling for the silver in 3:57.36.

Meanwhile, China's Li Bingjie reset her Asian Record for the second time in as many days to take the bronze nearly four seconds back in 4:01.08. Whilst Canada's Summer McIntosh was third at the final turn, she faded down the stretch to finish fourth in a Canadian Record of 4:02.42. China's Tang Muhan (4:04.10), Germany's Isabel Gose (4:04.98), the U.S. Paige Madden (4:06.81) and New Zealand's Erika Fairweather (4:08:81) rounded out the championship field, with all four swimmers slower than their preliminary times.

The medals for competition were presented by John Coates, IOC Vice-President, and the gifts were presented by Penny Heyns, FINA Bureau Member.

Records[edit]

Prior to this competition, the existing world and Olympic records were as follows.

World record  Katie Ledecky (USA) 3:56.46 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 7 August 2016 [2][3]
Olympic record  Katie Ledecky (USA) 3:56.46 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 7 August 2016 [2][3]

No new records were set during the competition.

Qualification[edit]

Main article: Swimming at the 2020 Summer Olympics – Qualification

The Olympic Qualifying Time for the event was 4:07.90. Up to two swimmers per National Olympic Committee (NOC) could automatically qualify by swimming that time at an approved qualification event. The Olympic Selection Time was 4:15.34. Up to one swimmer per NOC meeting that time was eligible for selection, allocated by world ranking until the maximum quota for all swimming events was reached. NOCs without a female swimmer qualified in any event could also use their universality place.[4]

Competition format[edit]

The competition consisted of two rounds: heats and a final. The swimmers with the best 8 times in the heats advanced to the final. Swim-offs were to be used as necessary to break ties for advancement to the next round.[5]

Schedule[edit]

All times are Japan standard time (UTC+9)[1]

Date Time Round
Sunday, 25 July 2021 20:06 Heats
Monday, 26 July 2021 11:20 Final

Results[edit]

Heats[edit]

The swimmers with the top 8 times, regardless of heat, advanced to the final.[6]

Rank Heat Lane Swimmer Nation Time Notes
1 3 4 Katie Ledecky  United States 4:00.45 Q
2 3 5 Li Bingjie  China 4:01.57 Q, AS
3 4 4 Ariarne Titmus  Australia 4:01.66 Q
4 4 8 Erika Fairweather  New Zealand 4:02.28 Q, NR
5 3 6 Summer McIntosh  Canada 4:02.72 Q, NR
6 3 2 Isabel Gose  Germany 4:03.21 Q, NR
7 4 6 Paige Madden  United States 4:03.98 Q
8 4 2 Tang Muhan  China 4:04.07 Q
9 4 3 Tamsin Cook  Australia 4:04.80
10 4 5 Ajna Késely  Hungary 4:05.34
11 4 1 Waka Kobori  Japan 4:05.57
12 2 3 Julia Hassler  Liechtenstein 4:06.98 NR
13 2 5 Joanna Evans  Bahamas 4:07.50
14 3 7 Anastasiya Kirpichnikova  ROC 4:08.01
15 3 3 Anna Egorova  ROC 4:08.24
16 3 8 Beril Böcekler  Turkey 4:08.27
17 2 6 Marlene Kahler  Austria 4:08.37 NR
18 4 7 Leonie Kullmann  Germany 4:10.25
19 2 4 Merve Tuncel  Turkey 4:11.06
20 3 1 Miyu Namba  Japan 4:13.49
21 2 2 Han Da-kyung  South Korea 4:16.49
22 2 7 Sasha Gatt  Malta 4:19.75
23 2 1 Tiana Rabarijaona  Madagascar 4:28.41
24 1 4 Eda Zeqiri  Kosovo 4:38.02
25 1 5 Talita Te Flan  Ivory Coast 4:38.92
26 1 3 Natalia Kuipers  Virgin Islands 4:39.42

Final[edit]

[7]

Rank Lane Swimmer Nation Time Notes
1st place, gold medalist(s) 3 Ariarne Titmus  Australia 3:56.69 OC
2nd place, silver medalist(s) 4 Katie Ledecky  United States 3:57.36
3rd place, bronze medalist(s) 5 Li Bingjie  China 4:01.08 AS
4 2 Summer McIntosh  Canada 4:02.42 NR
5 8 Tang Muhan  China 4:04.10
6 7 Isabel Gose  Germany 4:04.98
7 1 Paige Madden  United States 4:06.81
8 6 Erika Fairweather  New Zealand 4:08.01

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Tokyo 2020: Swimming Schedule". Tokyo 2020. Retrieved 30 January 2020.
  2. ^ a b "Katie Ledecky Smashes 400 Free World Record; Earns First Gold Medal For USA". Swimming World Magazine. 8 August 2016. Retrieved 29 August 2016.
  3. ^ a b Johnson, Raphielle (8 August 2016). "Katie Ledecky wins 400 free, shatters WR; Smith third". NBC Olympics. Retrieved 29 August 2016.
  4. ^ "Tokyo 2020 – FINA Swimming Qualification System" (pdf). Tokyo 2020. FINA. Retrieved 29 January 2020.
  5. ^ "FINA Swimming Rulebook, 2017–21" (PDF). FINA. Retrieved 29 January 2020.
  6. ^ "Heats results" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 August 2021. Retrieved 25 July 2021.
  7. ^ "Final results" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 August 2021. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
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