First Gold, World Record for Katie Ledecky at 2016 Rio Olympics

Updated at 9:05 p.m.

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL — Bethesda swimming sensation Katie Ledecky won her first individual medal -- at a world record pace -- in the 400 meter freestyle.

She set a blistering pace to lead the field and never let up, while teammate Leah Smith won the bronze.

Ledecky finished in 3:56:45. It was her 13th international final since the London 2012 Olympics, and she remains undefeated in individual competitions.

"I was really confident" that she would break the world record, Ledecky told NBC after the race. "Check that one off," she said of her goal to smash the record.

On Saturday night Ledekcy, 19, anchored the women's 4x100 freestyle relay that won a silver medal.

The team set an American record in 3:32.89 in the event, but Australia set the world record in 3:30.65 to win the gold by more than a second.

Relay team members Simone Manuel, Abbey Weitzeil, Dana Vollmer and Ledecky held a slim lead over Australia until the Aussie’s Cate Campbell put the race out of reach in the final leg. Canada was third in 3:32.89.

“We couldn’t be happier with our silver medal and American record,” Ledecky told The New York Times.

Although the U.S. has not won Olympic gold in the women’s 400m free relay since the 2000 Sydney Games, it has won a medal in this event at every Olympics except 1912, the first year they held it.

“We all raced as hard as we could, and I’m really proud of everyone on this team,” Vollmer told USA Swimming. “To go faster than any American team ever has, we have to be proud of that, and I’m really proud of all of them.”

On the blocks, Ledecky later admitted, she was nervous, shaking before her leg of the relay.

“I was really honored to be put on that relay and have that experience here,” said Ledecky. “It just made the first swim of the meet a lot more fun than it normally is and I think that bodes well for the rest of the week.”

SEE ALSO:

• USA Olympic Swim Team Rocks Carpool Karaoke
• MoCo Residents Send Rio Olympics Good Wishes to Ledecky, Conger

Ledecky competes in the 400 freestyle on Sunday, followed by the 200 and 800 and 4x200 freestyle relay later this week.

»Katie Ledecky photo courtesy of Team USA