American great Katie Ledecky edged defending champion Ariarne Titmus to be quickest into the Olympic 400m freestyle final Saturday, setting the scene for a titanic battle for gold.
The veteran, who was stunned by the Australian in Tokyo three years ago, touched in 4mins 02.19secs at a packed La Defense Arena ahead of an evening final on day one of the nine-day meet.
New Zealand rising star and current world champion Erika Fairweather was third quickest in 4:02.55, a fraction clear of Canadian Summer McIntosh, who snatched the world record last year before Titmus took it back. Titmus said the race helped"blow the cobwebs out" and denied coming second gave Ledecky any psychological advantage.
Australian pair Elijah Winnington and Sam Short, both former world champions, were fourth and fifth respectively with current world champion Kim Woo-min of South Korea seventh.Britain's Adam Peaty clocked a comfortable 59.18 heat swim to launch the defence of his 100m breaststroke crown as he bids to become only the second man to win three straight gold in the same individual event after Michael Phelps.
In the day's other heats, American world record holder Gretchen Walsh was fourth fastest into the women's 100m butterfly semifinals in 56.75.
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