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Katie Ledecky Ties Most Olympic Gold Medals Won by an American Woman with 8th Olympic Title

2024 Paris Summer Olympic Games

Women’s 1500 Freestyle – Final

  • World Record: 15:20.48 – Katie Ledecky, USA (2018)
  • World Junior Record: 15:28.36 – Katie Ledecky, USA (2014)
  • Olympic Record: 15:35.35 – Katie Ledecky, USA (2021)
  • 2021 Winning Time: 15:37.34
  • 2021 Time to Win Bronze: 15:42.91
  1. Katie Ledecky (United States) – 15:30.02 (Olympic Record)
  2. Anastasiia Kirpichnikova (France) – 15:40.35
  3. Isabel Gose (Germany) – 15:41.16
  4. Simona Quadarella (Italy) – 15:44.05
  5. Li Bingjie (China) – 16:01.03
  6. Moesha Johnson (Australia) – 16:02.70
  7. Beatriz Dizotti (Brazil) – 16:02.86
  8. Leonie Martens (Germany) – 16:12.57

Katie Ledecky reached a historical career milestone in Paris when she became the Olympic champion in the 1500-meter freestyle on Wednesday, winning by over ten seconds in an Olympic record time of 15:30.02.

The win marked her eighth Olympic gold medal, tying her for the most Olympic gold medals won by an American woman in any sport.

Ledecky shares the honor with former swimmer Jenny Thompson, who first rose to prominence at the 1987 Pan American Games when she won the 50-meter free at just 14-years-old.

Ledecky’s victory in the 1500 also marked her 12th Olympic medal of any kind, another historical milestone for her; she is now tied with Americans Thompson, Dara Torres and Natalie Coughlin and Australian Emma McKeon for the most Olympic medals won by a female swimmer from any country.

McKeon just joined the elite crew earlier this Olympic Games when she represented Australia on their gold medal-winning 4×100 free relay.

“I did have fun,” Ledecky said after the race today. “I felt really good. I just tried to hold steady the whole time. Hold my stroke, hold my time, each 50 [meters] and to swim a time that I could feel really happy with. I’m really proud of that swim.”

Ledecky also thanked her Florida crew and teammates for pushing her to be her best everyday.

Now the back-to-back defending Olympic champion in the 1500 free, Ledecky also holds the 20 fastest performances of all time in the event, including the world record (15:20.48), which she set back in 2018.

Ledecky will look to add another medal to her growing haul when she competes in the 800 free on Friday.

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JimSwim22
3 months ago

Has there been a discussion or study on why swingers retire or get slower at such early ages? Distance runners peak at the ages swimmers retire then go well into their 30s in a sport that is much harder on your body than swimming

Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
Reply to  JimSwim22
3 months ago

“swingers”

A party on your mind tonight?

Boknows34
Reply to  JimSwim22
3 months ago

Predictive text faux pas

AnOdeToTheGOAT
3 months ago

What I loved the most about this was in her post race interview she shouted out her training group in Florida. That’s something you don’t hear enough of from any of these athletes, but you could tell that Katie LOVES to train and that group, and UF trains! She’s like Rocky Balboa lol, constantly seeking out new ways to train and learning from grinders and digging in, there’s no comfort zone for her. To me she embodies the old school spirit of sport, you could hear the satisfaction in her voice after that race.

Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
Reply to  AnOdeToTheGOAT
3 months ago

She’s found a new home where she is happy.

Plenty of work to do:

W 4 x 200 FR-R
W 800 FR

Need to quickly turn the page.

SJS
3 months ago

KL went out in 8:14 at 800m.

Perhaps a good sign of what’s to come in the 800fr.

Go KL!

Steve Nolan
Reply to  SJS
3 months ago

Ooh she was 8:16 in prelims / /8:17 in Tokyo final. (Was 8:22 prelims here, so. We’re conserving! Relay names guy, vindicated!)

Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
Reply to  Steve Nolan
3 months ago

Katie Ledecky followed the race plan in the heats and final of the W 1500 FR at the 2022 World Aquatics Championships. The times are eerily similar. Hopefully, Katie Ledecky follows suit in the W 800 FR.

2022 World Aquatics Championships
Heats – 15:47.02
Final – 15:30.15

2024 Summer Olympics
Heats – 15:47.43
Final – 15:30.02

There should be plenty of gas left in the tank based on the results in the W 4 x 200 FR-R and W 800 FR at the 2022 World Aquatics Championships.

Steve Nolan
Reply to  Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
3 months ago

dang those four swims are wild

dogwater
Reply to  SJS
3 months ago

magnussen said he thinks ariarne could beat her but after seeing this split it’s pretty much joever. I don’t see titmus dropping a bunch of time to keep pace. magnussen is still delusional after all these years

LBSWIM
Reply to  dogwater
3 months ago

Magnussen is too busy doping to see reality.

Steve Nolan
Reply to  dogwater
3 months ago

I extremely hope you’re right, but idk I’m still iffy on it. Titmus has been swimming p good, if it was a 600 I’m for sure going with Titmus.

Hell even a 900 I’m going Ledecky, it’s that middle 700-800 range where it feels Titmus can snipe her.

dogwater
Reply to  Steve Nolan
3 months ago

i feel pretty confident about it. titmus hasn’t been sub 8:13 yet and i don’t see her going it now. maybe if this was earlier in the meet in a better pool but it’s just not happening. she didn’t have to swim a prelims in the 800 at trials and still went 8:14 after breaking the wr so she was definitely tapered I think. ledecky is just too good in these long distance events. no shame in getting 2nd to her.

Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
Reply to  dogwater
3 months ago

If Katie Ledecky does not overcook herself in the heats of the W 800 FR, Katie Ledecky will win the W 800 FR. Since Katie Ledecky is swimming the last of the two heats, she will know exactly what it will take to qualify for the final.

Fraser Thorpe
3 months ago

GOAT is GOATing, and she just had Sarah join her in the élite platinum VIP GOAT section

GAW
Reply to  Fraser Thorpe
3 months ago

Sarah joined this status after her 50’s at World Champs last year, along with most world titles of all time. Tonight just silenced the doubters.

Fraser Thorpe
Reply to  GAW
3 months ago

Her talent has never been in doubt – but Olympic gold, for better or worse, is still the main arbiter when it comes to greatness. And in that regard her CV was lacking. And it was more glaring BECAUSE of her enormous and undisputed talent. She needed a gold here to push her into that top echelon.

rsgnsf
Reply to  Fraser Thorpe
3 months ago

Thinking of C1. Glad SS finally made it.

Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
Reply to  Fraser Thorpe
3 months ago

Summer Olympics
Individual Gold Medals
Ledecky – 7
Sjostrom – 2

Fraser Thorpe
Reply to  Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
3 months ago

And?

endicott
Reply to  Fraser Thorpe
3 months ago

7:2, not in the same league.

Fraser Thorpe
Reply to  endicott
3 months ago

Hi, welcome, you’re obviously new to the sport. You’ll catch up soon enough.

JimSwim22
3 months ago

7th individual gold right? That’s amazing

Swimmin in the South
Reply to  JimSwim22
3 months ago

Yes, which is way more impressive since all of Dara’s and Jenny’s golds were relays. I think Natalie had 2?

Swimm394
Reply to  Swimmin in the South
3 months ago

Not to mention Katie doesn’t even really swim in the relays since she’s a distance swimmer, so she’s at a disadvantage there

Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
Reply to  Swimm394
3 months ago

2016
W 4 x 100 FR-R: Silver
W 4 x 200 FR-R: Gold

2021
W 4 x 200 FR-R: Silver

Matthew
Reply to  Swimmin in the South
3 months ago

Yep 100back 04/08.

Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
Reply to  JimSwim22
3 months ago

Katie Ledecky eyes #8 in the W 800 FR.

Edwards Miami
3 months ago

Phan Zanhle is impressive

Emily Se-Bom Lee
Reply to  Edwards Miami
3 months ago

who is Phan Zanhle

LBSWIM
Reply to  Emily Se-Bom Lee
3 months ago

Pan’s biggest Phan.

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Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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