Kazan: Triple world-record holder Katie Ledecky of the USA defended her 400m freestyle title at the world swimming championships yesterday while Sweden's Sarah Sjostrom broke the women's 100m butterfly world record in the semi-finals.


USA's Katie Ledecky is all smiles after winning gold in the 400m freestyle final at the FINA World Championships in Kazan yesterday. Pic/AFP 

Eighteen-year-old Ledecky, who holds the world records over 400m, 800 and 1500m, led by two body lengths at the halfway stage and won gold in three minutes, 59.13 seconds to set a new championship record.