American swimming superstar Katie Ledecky has successfully defended her title in the women’s 800-meter freestyle for the fourth straight time in the Olympics, out-pacing Ariarne Titmus of Australia to win gold in Saturday’s final.
Ledecky, who owns both the Olympic record and the world record, completed the race in 8:11.04 – more than a second ahead of Titmus.
Katie Ledecky competes in the women’s 800-meter freestyle swimming final at the 2024 Paris Games on Saturday. (MANAN VATSYAYANA/AFP via Getty Images)
The win gave Ledecky her fourth straight gold in the event, making her just the second swimmer to win an event at four straight Summer Games and the first woman to ever do it. She joins fellow American Michael Phelps, who won four straight in the men’s 200-meter individual medley.
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The 27-year-old swimmer also became just the sixth Olympian to win nine gold medals.
The 800-meter freestyle is the event that put Ledecky on the map. She won her first Olympic gold medal in this event in her debut at the 2012 Summer Games in London. She hasn’t lost it since, and currently owns 29 of the top 30 times in that event.
Katie Ledecky competes in the women’s 800-meter freestyle Final on August 3, 2024. She successfully defended her title for a record four straight Games. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
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She’s also made a name for herself as one of the best-long distance swimmers. She unsurprisingly won gold in the women’s 1500-meter freestyle earlier in the week to tie Jenny Thompson for the most Olympic gold medals in women’s swimming history.
Ledecky quickly broke that tie, winning a historic 13th medal (silver) in the women’s 4×200-meter freestyle relay on Thursday.
Katie Ledecky of Team USA reacts after winning gold in the women’s 800-meter freestyle Final on day eight of the Paris Olympic Games on August 3, 2024, in Nanterre, France. (Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)
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Ledecky ranks second all-time for the most Olympic medals of any athlete in any sport, with 14 after Saturday’s final.
Only one person has more – Phelps, with 28 total, including 23 Olympic gold medals.
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