Olympics 2016: Katie Ledecky breaks record to win gold in 400 freestyle

RIO DE JANEIRO >> Katie Ledecky began her bid to sweep three freestyle titles by capturing the Olympic Games 400-meter gold medal with world record destroying performance at the Olympic Aquatics Stadium Sunday night.

Ledecky, the Stanford-bound 19-year-old from Bethesda, Maryland, was clocked in 3 minutes, 56.46 seconds, knocking nearly two seconds off her previous world record.

With the victory Ledecky now has the six fastest 400s in history, nine of the top 10.

Ledecky retus to action with Monday’s 200 freestyle heats. She will also swim the 800 free later in the week.

Sunday she wasted little time in asserting herself, building a more than two-second lead after just 150 meters

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