Katie Ledecky Shines in Paris, Wins Fourth 800m Freestyle Olympic Gold
- Katie Ledecky wins her ninth Olympic gold in the 800m freestyle, tying the record for most gold medals by a woman in any sport.
- Canada’s Summer McIntosh wins her third gold medal in the 200m individual medley at the Paris Olympics.
- Hungary’s Kristof Milak secures his second gold in the men’s 100m butterfly.
Katie Ledecky, already considered one of swimming’s all-time greats, solidified her legacy at the Paris Olympics by winning the 800-meter freestyle. This victory marks her ninth Olympic gold, tying her with Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina for the most gold medals by any woman in any Olympic sport. Ledecky’s performance in the 800-meter freestyle was thrilling, with Australian rival Ariarne Titmus matching her stroke-for-stroke for much of the race. However, Ledecky’s relentless pace secured her the win in 8 minutes and 11.04 seconds, with Titmus taking silver and Paige Madden earning bronze for the United States.
Ledecky’s win in the 800-meter freestyle is her fourth consecutive Olympic gold in this event, making her the only swimmer, alongside Michael Phelps, to win gold in four different Olympics. She leaves Paris with two golds, a silver, and a bronze, bringing her total Olympic medal count to 14, and she hints at possibly competing in the Los Angeles Olympics in four years.
In another highlight, Canada’s Summer McIntosh won her third gold medal of the games in the 200-meter individual medley, setting the third-fastest time in history at 2 minutes, 6.56 seconds. McIntosh, only 17, also claimed gold in the 400-meter individual medley and the 200-meter butterfly, as well as a silver in the 400-meter freestyle. She expressed pride in her achievements and dedication, attributing her success to hard work, support from her family, teammates, and coaches.
Hungary’s Kristof Milak also had a standout performance, winning his second Olympic gold in the men’s 100-meter butterfly with a time of 49.90 seconds. This adds to his silver medal in the 200-meter butterfly at the Paris Games, bringing his total Olympic medal count to four. Milak’s victory gives Hungary its second gold at the Paris meet, following Hubert Kos’s win in the 200-meter backstroke.
The final race of the night saw the United States break the world record in the 4×100-meter mixed medley relay, finishing in 3 minutes, 37.43 seconds. The team, consisting of Ryan Murphy, Nic Fink, Gretchen Walsh, and Torri Huske, narrowly beat the previous record set by Britain at the Tokyo Games. China took silver, and Australia secured bronze.
These thrilling victories highlight the incredible talent and dedication of the athletes competing in the Paris Olympics, promising more excitement and record-breaking performances in the days to come.
