Preview:

2025 World Championships Previews: Will It Be Ledecky Or McIntosh In The Women's 800 Free?

Resolution criteria

This market will resolve to the swimmer who wins the Women's 800-meter freestyle event at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, scheduled for 2025-08-02 12:21 UTC. Official results will be sourced from the World Aquatics website: Competition Results | World Aquatics Official

Background

The Women's 800-meter freestyle is a premier long-distance swimming event. Historically, American swimmer Katie Ledecky has dominated this discipline, holding multiple world records and securing numerous Olympic and World Championship titles. However, Canadian swimmer Summer McIntosh has emerged as a formidable competitor. In February 2024, McIntosh ended Ledecky's 13-year unbeaten streak in the 800-meter freestyle, finishing nearly six seconds ahead at a meet in Orlando, Florida. (apnews.com) This victory positioned McIntosh as the second-fastest woman in history for this event, trailing only Ledecky.

At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Ledecky secured her fourth consecutive Olympic gold in the 800-meter freestyle, tying the record for the most Olympic golds by a female athlete. (time.com) McIntosh, meanwhile, claimed her first Olympic gold in the 400-meter individual medley and a silver in the 400-meter freestyle, underscoring her versatility and rising prominence in the sport. (time.com)

The 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore are anticipated to feature a highly competitive field in the Women's 800-meter freestyle, with both Ledecky and McIntosh expected to be leading contenders.