This photo from AFP/Getty Images shows just how far Katie Ledecky was ahead of her competition in the 800m freestyle preliminaries on Thursday when she broke the world record. Note she is going in a different direction than every other swimmer.
Katie Ledecky broke #Olympics record in 800-meter freestyle in prelims with an 8:12.86. She has the 12 fastest times EVER in the event.
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) August 11, 2016
She was all by herself.
EPA/ESTEBAN BIBA
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Aliya Mustafina (RUS), Simone Biles (USA) and Alexandra Raisman (USA) celebrates with their medals during the women's individual all-around final in the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games at Rio Olympic Arena.
Kayla Harrison (USA) shows off her gold medal in the women's 78kg judo medal ceremony at Carioca Arena 2 during the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games.
The team of Allison Schmitt, Leah Smith, Maya DiRado and Katie Ledecky won gold in the women's 4x200-meter freestyle relay.
Kristin Armstrong won gold in the women's road cycling time trial, her third consecutive gold in the event.
The team of Conor Dwyer, Townley Haas, Ryan Lochte and Michael Phelps won the 4x200-meter freestyle relay.
Michael Phelps won the gold in the men's 200-meter butterfly.
Katie Ledecky won the gold medal in the women's 200-meter freestyle.
The U.S. women's gymnastics team (Aly Raisman, Madison Kocian, Laurie Hernandez, Gabby Douglas and Simone Biles) captured gold.
Ginny Thrasher captured gold in the women's 10-meter air rifle.
Lilly King, right, won gold and Katie Meili took bronze in the women's 100-meter breaststroke.
The team of Nathan Adrian, Ryan Held, Michael Phelps and Caeleb Dressel won gold in the men's 4x100-meter freestyle relay.
Katie Ledecky captured gold and Leah Smith took bronze in the women's 400-meter freestyle.
Ryan Murphy, right, took the gold medal while David Plummer brought home a bronze in the men's 100-meter backstroke.
Daryl Homer took silver in men's individual sabre fencing.
Josh Prenot took silver in the men's 200-meter breaststroke.
Mike Hixon and Sam Dorman captured silver in men's 3-meter springboard synchronized diving.
The team of Brady Ellison, and Zach Garrett and Jake Kaminski won silver in archery.
Chase Kalisz claimed silver in the men's 400-meter IM.
Maya DiRado claimed silver in the women's 400-meter IM.
The team of Simone Manuel, Abbey Weitzeil, Dana Vollmer and Katie Ledecky captured silver in the women's 4x100-meter freestyle relay.
Alexander Massialas claimed silver in men's individual foil fencing.
David Boudia and Steele Johnson brought home silver in 10-meter platform synchronized diving.
Kathleen Baker captured silver in the women's 100-meter backstroke.
Travis Stevens claimed the silver medal in
men's 81kg judo.
Nathan Adrian claimed bronze in the men's 100-meter freestyle.
Maya DiRado claimed the bronze medal in the women's 200-meter IM.
Corey Cogdell took bronze in women's trap.
Dana Vollmer took the bronze medal in the women's 100-meter butterfly.
Cody Miller claimed bronze in the men's 100-meter breaststroke.
Phillip Dutton, aboard Mighty Nice, took bronze in open's individual eventing.
Conor Dwyer took bronze in the men's 200-meter freestyle.