IRVINE, Calif. — Katie Ledecky is, and will forever be, the greatest distance freestyler of all time. But she is no longer the greatest distance freestyler of the moment. That torched has been passed—snatched, really—by Australian Lani Pallister.
On a sobering night in Southern California, Pallister, 24, became the first woman in an international meet to beat Ledecky in the event that made her a star, the 800-meter freestyle. Pallister set a championship record in 8:06.10, while Ledecky came in second 1.16 second back at 8:07.26. Ledecky’s streak began when she was a 15-year-old at the 2012 London Olympics and continued until Saturday, with 13 straight wins across the Olympics, World Championships and Pan Pacific Championships.
Here, in the Pan Pacs, Pallister dealt Ledecky a defeat in her favorite event. And she did it after also beating Ledecky in the 400 free by nearly two seconds, and in the 800 free relay. Ledecky won the 1,500 on Wednesday night, but the longest event has become her last stand against the Australian takeover attempt.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated. Check SI.com later tonight for more information.
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