Titmus tests Ledecky in 400-metre freestyle

Gwangju - The Australian chased down Ledecky over the last lap

Katie Ledecky is usually there in the end, her endurance powering her to the wall well ahead of the competition.
 Someone else got there first at the world championships on Sunday night.
 Ariarne Titmus of Australia chased down Ledecky over the last lap to win the 400-metre freestyle and deny the American star a record fourth straight title. It was Ledecky's first defeat in the event at a major international meet since 2013.
 "This stings a little," Ledecky said. "It's not what I'm used to."
 Titmus overcame a 0.62-second deficit going into the last lap and won by 1.21 seconds over Ledecky. The 18-year-old Aussie touched in 3 minutes, 58.76 seconds.
 "I knew that I probably had that in me," Titmus said, "but, yeah, it's pretty surreal at the moment."
 Ledecky finished in 3:59.97 - well off her world record of 3:56.46 set at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.
 "She ran me right down," the American said.
 American Leah Smith took bronze in 4:01.29.
 An admittedly nervous Ledecky had the slowest last lap of anyone in the eight-woman final. Titmus went 1.83 seconds faster over the last 50 metres.
 "I made a move and then I came in at the last turn and felt like I could barely push off," Ledecky said. "My legs and arms just tightened up that last 50 and she took advantage of that."
 Titmus led through the first 200 metres - dipping under world-record pace on the first lap - before Ledecky moved in front with 250 metres to go.
 The American was still ahead turning for home. But Titmus pulled even midway through the last lap and surged to the wall first, becoming the first Aussie to win since Tracey Wickham in 1978.
 "There was no pressure for me," Titmus said. "Katie's a true champion and I'm just happy that my swim was great today, but I'm sure she'll be back to race me again next year."