Katie Ledecky has dominated the women’s 800-meter freestyle for more than a decade, winning gold in the event in four consecutive Olympic Games and six consecutive World Championships. But Canadian teen sensation Summer McIntosh is on her tail, setting up a massive showdown at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore.
Both Ledecky and McIntosh come into Saturday’s event in top form. Ledecky broke her own 800m world record in May at the 2025 TYR Pro Swim Series in Fort Lauderdale with a time of 8:04.12. A month later, McIntosh set a national record in the 800m with a time of 8:05.07 at the 2025 Canadian Swimming Trials in June, where she also broke three world records in the 400m freestyle, 200m individual medley and 400m individual medley.
Will Ledecky, the most decorated female swimmer in history, continue her reign in the event? Or will McIntosh, the up-and-coming generational talent, dethrone the American veteran? We’ll find out Saturday when Ledecky, 28, and McIntosh, 18, face off in the 800m final on Saturday at the Singapore Sports Hub.
McIntosh won the first head-to-head with Ledecky at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships earlier this week. McIntosh raced to gold in the 400-meter freestyle (3:56.26), finishing over two seconds faster than bronze medalist Ledecky (3:58.49). McIntosh also won gold in the 200m butterfly and 200m medley, while Ledecky won gold in the 1500m freestyle and silver in the 4 × 200m freestyle relay.
Five other finals will be held on Saturday, including the 200m backstroke final, featuring the 2024 Paris Olympic gold medalist, Australian Kaylee McKeown, and silver medalist, American Regan Smith.
Here’s everything you need to know about the 2025 World Aquatics Championships on Saturday:
How to watch the 2025 World Swimming Championships
The 2025 World Swimming Championships in Singapore run through Aug. 3 and can be streamed live on Peacock. Events start at 7 a.m. ET each day.
2025 World Swimming Championships schedule for Saturday
Six finals will be held on Saturday, including the highly anticipated women’s 800m free. Here’s the schedule:
Women’s 50m butterfly final (7:02 a.m. ET)
Men’s 50m freestyle final (7:09 a.m. ET)
Women’s 200m backstroke final (7:17 a.m. ET)
Men’s 100m butterfly final (7:43 a.m. ET)
Women’s 800m freestyle final (8:21 a.m. ET)
Mixed 4x100m freestyle relay final (8:42 a.m. ET)
How to watch women’s 800m free final: Time, channel, lane assignments
Date: Saturday, Aug. 2
Time: 8:21 a.m. ET
Streaming: Peacock
Lane 1: China’s Li Bingjie
Lane 2: Italy’s Simona Quadarella
Lane 3: Canada’s Summer McIntosh
Lane 4: American Katie Ledecky
Lane 5: Australia’s Lani Pallister
Lane 6: Germany’s Isabel Gose
Lane 7: New Zealand’s Erika Fairweather
Lane 8: Japan’s Ichika Kajimoto
Stream World Aquatics Championships on Peacock
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