Ledecky rewrites swimming history: claims fourth Olympic gold in 800m freestyle

Katie Ledecky solidified her status as the greatest female swimmer of all time by winning her fourth consecutive Olympic gold medal in the 800-meter freestyle on Saturday night at the Paris Olympics.

The victory marks her fourth medal in Paris and the 14th in her Olympic career, making her one of the most decorated Olympians in history.

American swimmer Ledecky completed the race with a time of 8:11.04, defeating Australian swimmer Ariarne Titmus, who secured the silver medal with a personal best of 8:12.29. American swimmer Paige Madden took the bronze, also achieving a personal best of 8:13.00. Despite Titmus and Madden's impressive performances, Ledecky's dominance prevailed.

This win is not only a triumph of the moment but also a culmination of 12 years of consistent excellence. Ledecky first shocked the world by winning the Olympic 800-meter freestyle as a 15-year-old in London in 2012. She then dominated the event in Rio in 2016 and held off Titmus to win again in Tokyo in 2021. With this victory, Ledecky becomes the first woman to win the same swimming event in four consecutive Olympics, joining Michael Phelps as the only swimmers to achieve this feat.

Reflecting on the achievement, Ledecky said, "I was like, wait, I would? These things kind of go in one ear and out the other. I had thought that there were maybe a few others, but I think I’m getting it confused with the three-peat in Tokyo with a few others,” she said, with a smile and a shrug.

Ledecky's ninth Olympic gold medal ties her with Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina for the most golds won by any woman in any Olympic sport. Her 14 total Olympic medals are also the most ever won by an American woman in any sport and the most by a female Olympic swimmer globally.

In Paris, Ledecky also won gold in the 1,500-meter freestyle, silver in the 4x200-meter freestyle relay, and bronze in the 400-meter freestyle.

Despite the ups and downs of the week, she remained focused on her goals. "I knew I just had to focus on the races, don't focus on times, just focus on getting the job done, getting to hear the national anthem at the end of the races as many times as I could," Ledecky said.