Ledecky Ties Record for Most Gold Medals by Female Olympians
NANTERRE, France — Katie Ledecky is rewriting the history books. Again.
On Saturday night, she won gold in the women’s 800-meter freestyle, her fourth consecutive Olympic gold medal in the event. It is the first time a woman has won four gold medals in the same event and brings Ledecky’s career total to nine Olympic gold medals, tying Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina for the most Olympic medals of all time.
Ledecky clocked 8:11.04 to take her final gold. Australia’s Ariarne Titmus (8:12.29) and America’s Paige Madden (8:13.00) took silver and bronze respectively.
Ledecky was the big favorite in the 800m freestyle, just as she was earlier in the week in the 1500m freestyle. The 27-year-old is less dominant in shorter distances, but she remains the best long-distance swimmer in the world.
GO DEEPER
Katie Ledecky sets Olympic record in 1500m freestyle
Before Saturday night’s race, Ledecky had already posted 29 of the 30 fastest times in world history in the women’s 800-meter freestyle, and she continues to enjoy it.
Earlier this week, she reiterated her interest in swimming at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, when she turns 31. She loves the training and she loves the heavy workload.
“To succeed in long-distance swimming, you must train yourself to focus on nothing, or on something constructive, otherwise your brain will revert to a self-preservation cycle of registering that your body is hurting — signaling you to stop doing whatever is hurting your body and sending messages to every corner of your mind to stop swimming! In short, if you can’t control your thoughts, you become your own worst enemy in the pool,” Ledecky wrote in her memoir.
“Repetition challenges your mental and physical game, and swimming is repetition to the nth degree. But for whatever reason — genetics, luck, great coaching, a certain physiology — I’ve been able to embrace the good and tolerate the rest.”
GOAT ACTIVITY. 🇺🇸👑
KATIE LEDECKY WINS HER NINTH GOLD MEDAL! #Olympic Games in Paris photo.twitter.com/R6ZGqFyfG9
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 3, 2024
Ledecky is notorious for her silence, shyness and reserve. The most emotional anyone ever sees her in the pool is after races like Saturday’s. These distances mean a lot to her, and she means a lot to their history.
Saturday’s final was Ledecky’s last race of the Paris Games. She takes home two gold medals, one silver and one bronze. She now has a total of 14 Olympic medals in four Games.
Her nine Olympic gold medals are tied for the second-most for an American athlete, along with swimmer Mark Spitz and track and field athlete Carl Lewis. Michael Phelps holds the record for most Olympic gold medals for an American athlete with 23.
Required reading
(Photo: Adam Pretty/Getty Images)
