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Ledecky, who had come close to the record in the morning
heats, led from start to finish to set a new mark of three
minutes, 56.46 seconds, shaving 1.91 seconds off the previous
best she set in Australia two years ago.
"It feels really good. I'm pumped. I was so close to breaking it
(this morning)," Ledecky said. "I felt good throughout. The swim
was almost identical to this morning, but with a bit more pop on
the last lap. It's pure happiness."
It was the sixth world record to fall in just two days of
competition at the Olympic Aquatics Stadium.
Jazz Carlin took the silver medal on a great night for British
swimmers, minutes after Adam Peaty had won gold in the 100
meters breaststroke.
Leah Smith of the United States won bronze.
Ledecky's winning margin of 4.77 seconds underlined her total
dominance of the event.
The 19-year-old is also overwhelming favorite to take the 800
meters freestyle, in which she won gold in London four years
ago, and is also competing in the 200m freestyle.
If she wins all three, Ledecky - who also won a silver in the
4x100 freestyle relay on Saturday - will be the first women to
achieve the feat since American Debbie Meyer at the Mexico City
Olympics in 1968.
The 2012 London champion Camille Muffat of France was among 10
people killed in March 2015 when two helicopters collided in a
remote region of Argentina during the filming of a reality TV
show.
(Reporting by Mark Trevelyan; Editing by Greg Stutchbury)
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