CNN
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Katie Ledecky produced a scintillating swim to break yet another world record on Saturday, this time in the women’s 800m freestyle, lowering the mark she set almost a decade ago at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

She recorded a time of 8:04.12 at the TYR Pro Swim Series Fort Lauderdale, shaving six-tenths of a second off her previous record and finishing almost 20 seconds ahead of her closest competitor. She now holds the top ten times ever recorded in the event.

For almost 13 years, Ledecky has dominated long-distance freestyle swimming, setting record after record that no one else can touch, often competing against only herself.

But it had been seven years since the American’s last world record; her powers were waning, people presumed, leaving her still able to collect titles but without setting the impossibly fast times that defined her earlier career.

Still, her recent results suggested Ledecky was close to reaching those heights again. On Wednesday, she set the second fastest ever time in the women’s 1500m freestyle, completing the distance in 15:24.51, before her world record on Saturday.

“I can’t stop smiling, it’s been like that all week though, so it’s not really new,” she said after the race, per USA Swimming. “It’s been so many years in the making to do it tonight. It’s been an incredible night.”

“The crowd was amazing tonight; I couldn’t have done it without that. I flipped at the 750, and it was loud in here, and I just told myself I’m not letting this opportunity go to waste and started sprinting.”

As Ledecky touched the wall and looked up at the screen to see her time, the crowd erupted, knowing she had broken the record. A fraction of a second later, Ledecky celebrated as well, smashing the water with her hands and raising a fist in triumph.

And on the same day, her compatriot Gretchen Walsh became the first woman to complete the 100m butterfly in less than 55 seconds, recording a time of 54.60 to lower the world record she set earlier that day.

Ledecky noted after her own record that “tonight is the first (record) I’ve done when another American has done it. Hats off to Gretchen for getting us rolling this morning and starting a world record party.”

CNN
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The fan who fell onto the field at PNC Park earlier this week, identified as Kavan Markwood, is “awake and continuing to work toward making his body stronger each day,” according to a post on social media from his girlfriend Alonna Brown.

An update was also posted to the family’s GoFundMe, which has raised more than $27,000 as of Saturday evening.

“At this time, he needs rest, peace, prayers, privacy, and all the positive thoughts and energy you can send as he continues on his journey,” Brown wrote. “… Please keep Kavan in your thoughts.”

The family has not responded to CNN’s request for further information.

The incident happened during the seventh inning of Wednesday’s game between the Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates.

The 20-year-old Markwood, fell from the right field wall onto the field and was listed in critical condition.

Players from both teams could be seen kneeling down, while others put their hands on their heads in concern for the injured fan.

The fall is being treated as accidental, police previously said.

“As of this morning, Kavan is awake, alert, and able to speak,” wrote Jennifer Phillips, who identified herself as Brown’s mother.

“After everything he’s been through since the accident on Wednesday night, this progress feels nothing short of miraculous. He still has a long road ahead of him but today brought a moment of hope that we’ve all been holding onto.”

CNN has attempted to reach out to Brown and Phillips.

Markwood graduated from South Allegheny High School in 2022. The school, in a post sent to CNN, said he was the team MVP of the football team and earned first team All-Conference honors.

“Kavan is best known for his resilience, strength, and kindness. He is a friend to all – someone who lifts others up and faces challenges with courage and grace.”

Markwood played college football at Walsh University and Wheeling University.

“The Wheeling University Community is heartbroken to hear of the tragedy that occurred at PNC Park involving former Wheeling Football Player Kavan Markwood,” the school said in a statement Thursday. “Kavan is a valued member of our Cardinal family. He played on the Football team for the 2023 season after transferring from Walsh University. Our thoughts and prayers are with Kavan, his family, friends, and all his loved ones. The Cardinal family is praying for a full and speedy recovery.”

CNN
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Sovereignty won the 151st running of the Kentucky Derby on Saturday at Churchill Downs Racetrack in Louisville, Kentucky.

The 2025 edition of the longest continuously held major sporting event in the United States featured all of the pomp and pageantry that has become the hallmark of “The Run for the Roses.”

After a slate of preliminary races, American gymnast Simone Biles, an 11-time Olympic medalist, gave the “riders up” call for the jockeys to mount their rides in the paddock.

Moments later, the bugler sounded the call to the post and the horses began to enter the famed Churchill Downs Racetrack as the University of Louisville marching band and choir performed “My Old Kentucky Home.”

After a heavy dose of rain earlier in the day, the 19 horses took to the muddy track in front of 147,406 spectators under cool, overcast conditions.

When the starting gates opened, it was Citizen Bull and Neoequos taking the lead to set the pace early, while the eventual frontrunners found themselves stuck in traffic towards the rear of the pack.

Citizen Bull and Neoequos were joined by American Promise and East Avenue as the leaders raced four-wide down the back stretch.

As the horses raced around the final turn, Journalism and Sovereignty began to impose their wills on the rest of the field. The two horses ran neck-and-neck as they passed the rest of the pack on the outside.

The pair reached the final sixteenth of a mile running nose-to-nose before Sovereignty began to pull ahead, finishing a length and a half ahead of pre-race favorite Journalism.

Baeza, meanwhile, was able to follow the two leaders as they made their push to the front and surged to a third place finish, just a neck behind Journalism.

The three-year-old Sovereignty, trained by Bill Mott and ridden by Venezuelan jockey Junior Alvarado, entered the race as one of the favorites at 9-1 odds to win.

Alvarado, a first-time winner at the Derby, gave all the credit to Sovereignty.

“It was him, Soverignty, who got me all the way to the wire,” Alvarado told the NBC broadcast after the race. “It meant the world to me and my family here, I thought I had a great chance. … I was so confident all week. … It’s more than even a dream come true to have it done with (Mott).”

Mott was appreciative of the atmosphere at Churchill Downs, saying “it’ll take a while to sink in” after getting his second career Derby win.

“This one got there the right way,” Mott said. “He’s done well. He’s a great horse. He’s come from a great organization and I can’t say enough about the horse and the organization that started him out and did everything to make this happen.”

Bob Baffert, a six-time Kentucky Derby winner, made his return to Churchill Downs on Saturday after a three-year absence.

Until last year, the Hall of Famer was banned from running horses at the first leg of the triple crown after his horse Medina Spirit’s failed drug test in 2021.

However, his return wasn’t as successful as he would have hoped after his two horses failed to win.

Citizen Bull finished in 15th while Rodriguez had to withdraw earlier this week due to a bruised foot.

The next leg of horse racing’s triple crown will take place in two weeks at The Preakness Stakes in Baltimore, Maryland, followed by the final race on June 7 at the Belmont Stakes. The Belmont Stakes is being held in Saratoga Springs, New York, for the second consecutive year due to ongoing construction the race’s typical venue of Belmont Park in Elmont, New York.

This story has been updated with additional details.

CNN’s Jacob Lev contributed to this report.