Katie Ledecky snaps tie with Michael Phelps for most solo swimming world titles

FUKUOKA, Japan — Katie Ledecky splashed to a record 16th individual world swimming title on Saturday, snapping a tie with Michael Phelps.

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Competing in the world championships in Fukuoka, Japan, Ledecky won the women’s 800-meter freestyle race in 8:08.87 to retain her world title and become the first swimmer to win a single worlds event six times, ESPN reported. She led from start to finish to win the event for the sixth consecutive time.

It was also Ledecky’s 16th world individual crown, according to the cable sports news outlet.

She finished the competition with two gold medals, also taking the 1,500-meter event, and captured a pair of silver medals in the 400-meter freestyle and the 4x200-meter freestyle relay, NBC Sports reported.

Including team events. Ledecky now has 25 world titles during her career, according to The Washington Post. That is third behind Phelps, who has 33; and Ryan Lochte, who owns 27 titles.

“I’m just always trying to think of new ways to improve. I mean, I’ve already got everything turning in my head right now. I kind of wanted to be better than I was tonight,” Ledecky told reporters. “I’m pretty tough on myself, but I think I have found the balance of being tough on myself but also having that grace.”

Ledecky finished 4.44 seconds faster than Li Bingjie of China (8:13.31), who took silver; and Ariane Titmus of Australia (8:13.59), who captured the bronze medal, ESPN reported.

“It’s fun to leave a meet with your favorite event, and I just wanted to leave it all in the pool,” Ledecky told reporters.

Ledecky will compete in the Paris Olympics next year as the favorite in the 800 and 1,500 free events, the Post reported. She also hopes to defeat Titmus, the world and Olympic champion in the 400 free, according to the newspaper.

“This was a great steppingstone of a meet,” Ledecky said, according to the Post. “Having improvement off the blocks in pretty much all my events, and feeling like we’re progressing really well in training and in racing… We get back to work in just a couple of weeks.”