Katie Ledecky wins gold in 800m freestyle at swimming world championships
It was Ledecky's seventh gold medal in the event at the world championships and 23rd world title overall, the 28-year-old edging out Australian Lani Pallister and McIntosh with a time of eight minutes and 05:62 seconds.
Pallister pushed hard all the way and took a remarkable silver in 8:05.98, while Canadian McIntosh was third in 8:07.29.
"That's pretty incredible, three of us going under 8:10 ... incredibly fast. They pushed me all the way," Ledecky said.
"I'm just really happy I could put that together. I just told myself to trust my legs, because I've gotten a bit better at kicking. Just running home at the end.
"I don't think I have anything to lose at this point of my career," added the 28-year-old.
"Just enjoying the crowd, swimming against the best in the world. Everyone in that heat is the next generation of swimmers coming up; just proud to be a part of it."
Ledecky also won gold in the 1,500 and bronze in the 400, and is closing in on compatriot Michael Phelps' record of 26 world championships titles.
The defeat ended McIntosh's bid to match Phelps's record of five individual titles at a single world championship, though beating Ledecky in the 800 always looked like it would be the biggest obstacle on the 18-year-old's programme.
Ledecky broke her own 800 world record in May, swimming 8:04.12 to improve a mark she set nearly a decade ago at the Rio Games, but McIntosh had also been making waves in the event in the build-up to the world championships.
She posted the third-fastest time ever in June and ended Ledecky's 13-year unbeaten streak in 2024 when she bested the American at a sectionals meeting in Florida.
McIntosh said she would try to get the race out of her mind as quickly as possible with another shot at a gold medal coming up in the 400 individual medley on Sunday.
"I know I'm the favourite going in so it's a bit of a different set-up. I'm excited to finish off this meet with a really strong swim and I have full confidence for the IM," she added.
"I went into the 800 free with full confidence as well so I think this is a really big learning lesson for me."
Saturday's race was billed as a showdown between Ledecky and McIntosh but Pallister threw a spanner in the works by taking an incredible five seconds off her personal best.
"I feel like that's been the biggest hyped-up race and the 800 is my best event, obviously with an 8:05," Pallister, who took bronze in the 1,500 and finished fourth in the 400, told Australian broadcaster Nine Network.
"Coming off the 1,500, being comfortable swimming next to Katie, being close in the 400, I knew I had a sub 8:10 in me. I didn't think I'd be 8:05 here, but now I'm really thrilled with that."
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