Surprise! Maya DiRado wins gold as late addition to 4x200 freestyle relay team

The Santa Rosa native swam the third leg ahead of teammate Katie Ledecky to help secure a gold medal Wednesday in a race she hadn't planned to swim.|
PRESS DEMOCRAT STAFF
PRESS DEMOCRAT STAFF

After picking up a silver and a bronze in her first two swimming events at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, all Santa Rosa native Maya DiRado needed was a gold medal.

She got it, two days early.

DiRado was a late addition to the U.S. women’s 4x200 freestyle relay team Wednesday, swimming the third leg ahead of teammate Katie Ledecky to help secure Team USA’s fifth gold in the event in the past six Olympics.

The team finished in 7 minutes, 43.03 seconds to beat out Australia. Canada took bronze.

DiRado has a chance to stay perfect in the pool if she medals in the 200-meter backstroke, her final event. Preliminary heats and the semifinals are today, with the final set for Friday.

The 2010 Maria Carrillo grad has had incredible success in her first and what she says will be her only Olympics.

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