Katie Ledecky Wins 9th Gold Medal, Equals Historic Olympic Record
- Katie Ledecky wins her 9th gold medal in the 800m freestyle at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
- This victory ties her with Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina for the most gold medals won by a woman in Olympic history.
- Ledecky also claims her fourth consecutive gold in the 800m freestyle, a record unmatched by any other swimmer.
Katie Ledecky has cemented her place as one of the greatest swimmers of all time by winning her ninth gold medal in the 800-meter freestyle at the Paris 2024 Olympics. This remarkable achievement ties her with Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina for the most gold medals ever won by a female athlete. Ledecky, who has dominated the 800m freestyle since her debut victory in London 2012, triumphed with a time of 8:11.04, outpacing Australia’s Ariarne Titmus, who finished second, and her fellow American Paige Madden, who took third.
Reflecting on her performance, Ledecky acknowledged the challenge posed by Titmus but expressed confidence in her training and preparation. “I knew Ariarne was going to give me everything she had,” Ledecky said. “I felt confident coming into it, but it was going to be tough no matter what all the way down to the finish.”
Ledecky’s achievement in Paris extends her record of winning gold in four different Olympics, a feat no other female swimmer has matched. She has also earned a silver in the 4x200m freestyle relay and a bronze in the 400m freestyle at these Games. “Four times one is the one that kind of means the most to me,” she added, highlighting her pride in maintaining her dominance in the sport.
Australian swimmer Ariarne Titmus, who bested Ledecky in the 400m freestyle, praised Ledecky’s enduring excellence. “She’s been winning this race since I was 11 years old,” Titmus remarked. “That is just remarkable. She’s unreal.”
In other swimming news from Paris, Canada’s Summer McIntosh clinched her third gold medal of the Games in the 200m individual medley, while Hungary’s Kristof Milak earned gold in the men’s 100m butterfly. The United States also set a new world record in the mixed 4x100m medley relay, with their team finishing in 3:37.43.
The swimming events continue to deliver thrilling performances, with Sweden’s Sarah Sjoestroem setting a new Olympic record in the women’s 50m freestyle semi-finals.
