United States Swimming Star Katie Ledecky On Record-Setting Medal Pace
Jul 31, 2024, 4:50 PM | Updated: 4:50 pm
NANTERRE, FRANCE - JULY 30: Katie Ledecky of Team United States reacts after competing in the Women’s 1500m Freestyle Heats on day four of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Paris La Defense Arena on July 30, 2024 in Nanterre, France. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
(Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
NANTERRE, France (AP) — Katie Ledecky has tied one of swimming’s most impressive records.
Chances are, she’ll have it all to herself by the time she completes the Paris Olympics.
The 27-year-old Ledecky bumped her career total to 12 medals with a dominating victory in the 1,500-meter freestyle Wednesday night, equaling three fellow Americans — Dara Torres, Natalie Coughlin and Jenny Thompson — for the most ever by a female swimmer.
RELATED: Ledecky Blows Away Competition In 1,500-Meter Freestyle Gold-Winning Performance
GOLD FOR THE G.O.A.T. 🥇@katieledecky matches the record for most Olympic medals won by a U.S. woman with her win in the 1500m freestyle.#ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/MU3M5CsZLb
— Team USA (@TeamUSA) July 31, 2024
Ledecky was first an Olympian in 2012.
Ledecky won her first gold in London when she was just 15.
“It’s not easy, it doesn’t get any easier, so I do try to enjoy it each year and there’s different perspective that I have different years and different challenges that you face each year,” Ledecky said after winning the 1,500.
Katie Ledecky just made this girl's life. 🥹 #ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/23bhsWhS8r
— On Her Turf (@OnHerTurf) July 31, 2024
What’s next for Ledecky?
—She is expected to compete in the final of the 4×200 freestyle relay on Thursday. The U.S. took silver in that event at the Tokyo Games after winning gold in the two previous Olympics, so that seems like a pretty sure bet for lucky medal No. 13.
RELATED: Girl Power On Display For Team USA At 2024 Paris Olympics
—Ledecky will be going for her fourth straight gold medal in the 800 freestyle, with the preliminaries set for Friday morning and the final to follow Saturday next evening.
“I have the relay tomorrow, that’s my next focus,” she said after the race. “Then, I’ll think about the 800.”
The American star now has eight gold medals in her career, seven of them coming in individual races. She came into these games already holding the record for the most individual golds by a female swimmer.
