Katie Ledecky flexes to win 800m gold after titanic battle with Ariarne Titmus

PARIS: Katie Ledecky confirmed her legend status for the umpteenth time on Sunday (AEST), withstanding a huge challenge from Ariarne Titmus in the 800m freestyle final to win her ninth Olympic gold medal.

Titmus was lionhearted as she pushed up alongside Ledecky with 250m to swim, but the American accelerated and her great rival was unable to go with her, with Ledecky pushing her lead back out to a body length with four laps to swim.

At that point, it looked like Titmus would be challenged for silver, with Ledecky's teammate Paige Madden drawing up to her shoulder but "Arnie" called on all her reserves to explode away from her in the final 100 metres.

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With Titmus fighting hard all the way to the wall, the margin tightened but America's distance queen touched comfortably in front in 8:11.04, the Aussie second in a personal best time of 8:12.29. Madden filled out the podium with bronze in 8:13.00.

By winning the 800m freestyle Katie Ledecky became the first woman to win gold medals in the same swimming event at four consecutive Olympics.

Michael Phelps, her countryman and the swimmer she took the baton from to become the biggest star in the world, is the only other to achieve the feat.

It's just another accolade that puts into perspective what Titmus was up against.

So it was no wonder the Aussie said she was "absolutely buggered" to kick off her interview with Nine after emerging from the pool.

"So ... proud of my effort tonight, my first PB of the week, haven't had a PB in the 800 since the last Olympics so I am stoked with that and proud of the way I put myself out there and took it to Katie, she is just a champ and I have the most respect for her out of any athlete I've ever competed against," Titmus said.

"I know how hard it is to go back to back and to be on top of the world in the same event for over 12 years is remarkable and I feel so honoured to be a part of her story and hopefully it made her a better athlete as well.

"If we look at the legend of Katie Ledecky, she has dominated this event since you and I were pretty much little girls."

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Titmus' incredible 800m swim ensured that she would go home with one individual gold medal after defending her 400m freestyle title, and two silvers - a bittersweet defeat to stablemate Mollie O'Callaghan in the 200m freestyle and the spoils of her almighty battle with Ledecky.

Yet, even in defeat her stocks seem to rise. The quality she is known best for is her fight and more than ever that was on display in Paris as she battled some of the highest-quality swimmers at the meet.

Even after touching the wall second in the 200m freestyle, a race she was favourite to win, Titmus carried herself with grace and dignity.

It has been the mark of a team leader, and what a team.

Explaining her race plan against Ledecky, Titmus shared how difficult it is to go stroke for stroke with the champion in an event suited to distance swimmers.

"She has this incredible ability to sustain a race so the only way I could challenge her, I thought, was to take it out with her, put my body on the line and try and hang on," she said.

"I knew at the end of eight days it would be tough but I wanted to leave it all out there and go home from these games with no regrets. I just don't think I would be able to sleep at night if I second-guessed my approach to the race so I let it all out there and I'm really proud of my efforts."