Greatness brings its own energy to the pool and in Katie Ledecky on her 22nd day of racing in Olympic waters since she claimed gold in the 800m freestyle at 15, 11km of sizzling swimming in the pantheon at four Olympics, we saw that side of the living legend of distance freestyle where all the grit and spit of the fight resides.

It was back-against-the-wall time for the American 27-year-old racing to Olympic glory for a fourth time in the 800m freestyle. What Dawn Fraser achieved in 1964 with her third straight 100m freestyle win, Ledecky has gone one beyond as the founder member of the Quad Club:

2012: 8:14.63 AM
2016: 8:04.79 WR
2012: 8:12.57
2024: 8:11.04

That 8:04.79 stands out as a candidate for Time Trial of the Century. We mustn't be too hasty, what with 86 years to go, but as things stand, 8:04 is set to stand for a very long time yet.

Today was not about the clock. Ledecky's fourth victory was all about the flip side of a supreme racer primed to keep any challenger at bay at the ages of 15 to 27, and at the latter end of that age range, the challenge of next wavers led by the magnitude of Ariarne Titmus, of Australia.

Not even a 1:52.2 and 3:55.3 200-400 swimmer travelling inside the speed of Spitz was capable of knocking Ledecky off her distance throne.

When battle was done and Ledecky and Titmus hugged, clasped hands together and raised each other's arms aloft, the champion said to the chaser: “Thank you for making me better.”

And here's what Titmus said about Ledecky soon after: “She’s made me a better athlete, I totally respect what she’s done in this sport, more than any other athlete. She’s been winning this race since I was 11 years old and I turn 24 next month, so that is just remarkable. She’s unreal."

That is the very best of sport we can ever hope for, right there.

For subscribers: gallery of the hours from Patrick B. Kraemer and story in full from Craig Lord in Paris: