Katie Ledecky Starts Olympic Swimming With Fastest Time in 400 Free Prelims, Just Ahead of Titmus

Katie Ledecky, of the United States, competes during a heat in the women's 400-meter freestyle at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Nanterre, France on July 27, 2024. Martin Meissner/AP Photo

NANTERRE, France—Katie Ledecky fired the first salvo in her duel with Ariarne Titmus, posting the fastest time the preliminaries of the women’s 400-meter freestyle Saturday as the swimming competition began at the Paris Olympics.

In one of the most highly anticipated events of the games, Ledecky claimed the prime No. 4 lane for the evening final with a time of 4 minutes, 2.19 seconds.