Katie Ledecky remains unbeatable in the 1,500 freestyle taking the title again at the worlds

SINGAPORE (AP) — Katie Ledecky has ceded a tiny bit of ground in other events, but she’s still unbeatable in the 1,500-meter freestyle.

She won it again Tuesday in the swimming world championships in Singapore, finishing in 15 minutes, 26.44 seconds. Simona Quadarella of Italy took silver in 15:31.79 – a European record – with bronze for Lani Pallister of Australia in 15:41.18 in a very quick-paced race.

“I was just trying to get out fast, but comfortable enough that I could go from there,” Ledecky said. “I’m happy with the time and happy with the swim.”

“I love this race,” she added. “It was the race I broke my first world record in 2013. Lots of great races over the years.”

Ledecky was ahead of her world-record pace through 1,250 meters, pushed early by Pallister. It was Ledecky’s second medal in these games after taking bronze in the 400 free behind Canadian Summer McIntosh.

The numbers speak to Ledecky’s dominance, the most decorated female swimmer in history who has been on top for more than a decade.

With Tuesday’s swim she now owns 25 the top 26 times in history in the 1,500. Her time Tuesday was the fifth fastest, not far off her world record of 15:20.48 set in 2018.

It was her 22nd gold medal in a world championships and her 28th overall. Add to that nine Olympic gold medals and 14 overall. If you’re not counting, that's 42 Olympic and world medals – 31 gold.

Watching from the stands was new International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry. She was joined by former president Thomas Bach. Coventry was an Olympic gold-medal winner for Zimbabwe in 2004 and 2008 in the 200-meter backstroke.

The Americans had the top qualifying times going into four finals and won one gold and three silver medals with very close finishes in all three.

The United States team have been battling what officials called “acute gastroenteritis” picked up at a training camp in Thailand before arriving in Singapore.

American head coach Greg Meehan said much of team had turned the corner.

“We’re taking it a day at a time,” he said in an interview with American network NBC. “Obviously, this is not how we thought the first few days of this competition would go. But I’m really proud of our team, our medical staff working overtime. You don’t want your medical staff working overtime.”

“If you were in our team area you would never know that the overall majority of the team has gone through something over the last few days,” Meehan added, saying the team “vibe” was good.

McIntosh, who won two gold medals the first two days, did not race on Tuesday, Day 3 of the competition. She will face Ledecky in the 800, maybe the most anticipated race of the worlds.

Paris Olympic champion David Popovici of Romania won the 200-meter freestyle, overtaking American Luke Hobson in the last 50 meters for the victory. Popovici swam 1:43.53 with Hobson across in 1:43.84. Tatsuya Murasa of Japan was third in 1:44.54.

“I think it was better than the Olympics to be honest,” Popovici said of the victory. “You know why? Because I trained a lot for the Olympics. But this coming for a more relaxed year, easygoing year after the Olympics. I don’t know. I feel very proud of myself.”

Kaylee McKeown of Australia took the women’s 100-meter backstroke, closing over the last 50 to beat American Regan Smith. McKeown finished in 57.16 – just .03 off the world record held by Smith. Smith finished in 57.35 with bronze for American Katharine Berkoff in 58.15.

McKeown is the two-time defending Olympic champion in this race and also in the 200 backstroke. She also beat Smith a year ago in Paris with Smith taking silver.

Pieter Coetze of South Africa represents a new wave of contenders with the 21 year old winning the men’s 100 backstroke in 51.85 seconds. Thomas Ceccon of Italy took silver in 51.90, with bronze for Yohann Ndoye-Brouard in 51.92. Ceccon is the world-record holder in 51.60.

In the last final of the night, Anna Elendt of Germany — swimming from Lane 1 — took the women’s 100-meter breaststroke in 1:05.19. American Kate Douglass took silver in 1:05.27, with bronze for Tang Qianting of China in 1:05.64.

“I am so speechless,” Elendt said.

Germany has been piling it on. Lukas Martens took gold on Sunday in the 400 free. Florian Wellbrock also won four gold medals in the open-water events which took place earlier in the championships.

In the semifinals, Luca Urlando of the United States was the top qualifier in the 200 fly (1:52.84), teammate Claire Weinstein led the women's 200 free (1:54.69), and China's Qin Haiyang led the 50 breaststroke (26.52).

Ahmed Jaouadi of Tunisia was quickest in the 800 free in morning prelims (7:41.58).

AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/sports

Katie Ledecky of the United States, right, celebrates with her coach Anthony Nesty after winning gold medal in the women's 1500m freestyle final at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, Tuesday, July 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Katie Ledecky of the United States celebrates after winning gold medal in the women's 1500m freestyle final at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, Tuesday, July 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Gold medalist Katie Ledecky of the United States, center, flanked by silver medalist Simona Quadarella of Italy, left, and bronze medalist Lani Pallister of Australia pose on the podium after the women's 1500m freestyle final at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, Tuesday, July 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

Katie Ledecky of the United States competes in the women's 1500m freestyle final at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, Tuesday, July 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Katie Ledecky of the United States celebrates after winning gold medal in the women's 1500m freestyle final at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, Tuesday, July 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

Katie Ledecky of the United States reacts after competing in the women's 1500-meter freestyle heats at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, Monday, July 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Katie Ledecky of the United States reacts as she leaves after competing in the women's 1500-meter freestyle heats at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, Monday, July 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — President Donald Trump on Thursday threatened to invoke an 1807 law and deploy troops to quell persistent protests against the federal officers sent to Minneapolis to enforce his administration's massive immigration crackdown.

The threat comes a day after a man was shot and wounded by an immigration officer who had been attacked with a shovel and broom handle. That shooting further heightened the fear and anger that has radiated across the city since an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent fatally shot Renee Good in the head.

Trump has repeatedly threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act, a rarely used federal law, to deploy the U.S. military or federalize the National Guard for domestic law enforcement, over the objections of state governors.

“If the corrupt politicians of Minnesota don’t obey the law and stop the professional agitators and insurrectionists from attacking the Patriots of I.C.E., who are only trying to do their job, I will institute the INSURRECTION ACT, which many Presidents have done before me, and quickly put an end to the travesty that is taking place in that once great State,” Trump said in social media post.

Presidents have invoked the law more than two dozen times, most recently in 1992 by President George H.W. Bush to end unrest in Los Angeles. In that instance, local authorities had asked for the assistance.

Trump has repeatedly toyed with the idea of invoking the Insurrection Act, starting in his first term, but hasn't followed through. In 2020, for example, he threatened to use the act to quell protests after George Floyd was killed by Minneapolis police.

“I’m making a direct appeal to the President: Let’s turn the temperature down. Stop this campaign of retribution. This is not who we are,” Gov. Tim Walz, a Democrat, said on X.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said he would challenge any such action in court. He's already suing to try to stop the surge by the Department of Homeland Security, which says officers have arrested more than 2,500 people since Nov. 29 as part of an immigration operation in the Twin Cities called Metro Surge.

The operation grew when ICE sent 2,000 officers and agents to the area early in January. ICE is a DHS agency.

In Minneapolis, smoke filled the streets Wednesday night near the site of the latest shooting as federal officers wearing gas masks and helmets fired tear gas into a small crowd. Protesters responded by throwing rocks and shooting fireworks.

Demonstrations have become common in Minneapolis since Good was fatally shot on Jan. 7. Agents who have yanked people from their cars and homes have been confronted by angry bystanders demanding they leave.

“This is an impossible situation that our city is presently being put in and at the same time we are trying to find a way forward to keep people safe,” Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota filed a class-action lawsuit on behalf of three people who said they were questioned or detained in recent days. The lawsuit says two are Somali and one is Hispanic; all three are U.S. citizens. The lawsuit seeks an end to what the ACLU describes as a practice of racial profiling and warrantless arrests. The government did not immediately comment.

Similar lawsuits have been filed in Los Angeles and Chicago and despite seeing initial success, have tended to fizzle in the face of appeal. In Chicago, for example, last year a judge ordered a senior U.S. Border Patrol official to brief her nightly following a lawsuit by news outlets and protesters who said agents used too much force during demonstrations. But three days later, an appeals court stopped the updates.

Homeland Security said in a statement that federal law enforcement officers on Wednesday stopped a driver from Venezuela who is in the U.S. illegally. The person drove off then crashed into a parked car before fleeing on foot, DHS said.

Officers caught up, then two other people arrived and the three started attacking the officer, according to DHS.

“Fearing for his life and safety as he was being ambushed by three individuals, the officer fired a defensive shot to defend his life,” DHS said. The confrontation took place about 4.5 miles (7.2 kilometers) from where Good was killed.

Police chief Brian O’Hara said the man who was shot did not have a life-threatening injury. O’Hara's account of what happened largely echoed that of Homeland Security, which later said the other two men were also in the U.S. illegally from Venezuela.

The FBI said several government vehicles were damaged and property inside was stolen when agents responded to the shooting. Photos show broken windows and insults made with paint. A reward of up to $100,000 is being offered for information. The FBI’s Minneapolis office did not immediately reply to messages seeking more details.

St. Paul Public Schools, with more than 30,000 students, said it would begin offering an online learning option for students who do not feel comfortable coming to school. Schools will be closed next week until Thursday to prepare for those accommodations.

Minneapolis Public Schools, which has a similar enrollment, is also offering temporary remote learning. The University of Minnesota will start a new term next week with different options depending on the class.

Madhani reported from Washington, D.C. and Golden reported from Seattle. Associated Press reporters Sophia Tareen in Chicago; Bill Barrow in Atlanta; Rebecca Santana in Washington; and Ed White in Detroit contributed.

Federal immigration officers confront protesters outside Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Law enforcement officers at the scene of a reported shooting Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Adam Gray)

A woman covers her face from tear gas as federal immigration officers confront protesters outside Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Adam Gray)

A protester throws back a tear gas canister during a protest after a shooting on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Federal immigration officers confront protesters outside Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Adam Gray)

Minneapolis City Council Member Jason Chavez, second from left, blows a whistle with other activists to warn people of federal immigration officers Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Tear gas surrounds federal law enforcement officers as they leave a scene after a shooting on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/John Locher)

A child and family are escorted away after federal law enforcement deployed tear gas in a neighborhood during protests on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Adam Gray)

A protester holds an umbrella as sparks fly from a flash bang deployed by law enforcement on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Adam Gray)

Monica Travis shares an embrace while visiting a makeshift memorial for Renee Good, who was fatally shot by an ICE officer last week, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/John Locher)

A protester yells in front of law enforcement after a shooting on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Tear gas surrounds federal law enforcement officers as they leave a scene after a shooting on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Protesters shout at law enforcement officers after a shooting on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Law enforcement officers stand amid tear gas at the scene of a reported shooting Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Adam Gray)