when you break a world record, but a man comes in second (x)
And it’s worth note that Ledecky didn’t just win the 800 freestyle- she obliterated it:
Thats her. And those specks in the distance are her competitors. The second place swimmer was 11 SECONDS behind her. 11 seconds is FOREVER in something like this. Most second place swimmers in most races finish fractions of a second behind the first place swimmer.
Her finishing with none of her competitors in sight. And that yellow line is the previous world record’s pace. Ledecky is more than a full body length ahead.
Which, btw, she did in the 400m freestyle earlier in the games. Seen here:
(The previous world record in this race was held by her, to begin with, btw. As well as the 3 world record times preceding that one.)
So to sum it up: Yeah, Phelps is one of the most decorated Olympic swimmers ever etc etc but him getting silver means jack in the face of the actual-human-avatar-of-Poseidon that is Katie Ledecky.
