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Katie Ledecky wins gold medal in 800-meter freestyle at Paris Olympics

FaceProfileby:Thomas Goldkamp•08/03/24
Katie Ledecky
Photo by Grace Hollars / USA TODAY Sports

One of the most decorated swimmers in United States history has done it again, adding a gold medal to her tally in France for the second time in this Olympic cycle. Katie Ledecky can still defend her longer distances.

This time it was the 800-meter freestyle, a race Ledecky has dominated for a long time. She entered as the reigning three-time gold medalist in the event.

Ledecky had trouble pulling away from long-time competitor Ariarne Titmus at first, staying only about a half body length ahead for the first 500 meters or so. Then she found another gear to pull away and get into the wall with a bit of a cushion.

With the win, Ledecky became the first woman ever to win the same event at the Olympics four consecutive times. Her first Olympic medal was a gold in the 800-meter freestyle back in London in 2012.

The win for Ledecky came after she had already captured the gold medal in the 1500-meter freestyle.

Katie Ledecky had already captured two other medals at this year’s Olympics in Paris, too. She earned a silver medal in the 4×200-meter freestyle relay. She also took a bronze medal in the 400-meter freestyle.

“I’m just so honored to represent our country and those women that have set the standard for so many years have inspired me,” Ledecky said. “They inspired me when I first started swimming so thank you to them, thank you to everyone that has supported me all these years.”

Those recent medal additions, coupled with today’s win, give Katie Ledecky 14 career Olympic medals, more than any other American woman in history.

Ledecky can add her latest gold to the near endless number of accomplishments in her career. She’s won nine gold medals, been a 21-time world champion, broken world records 16 times, won the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and become a New York Times best-selling author.

Below is the list of medals she has won through the years.

Katie Ledecky career medal list

  • Gold in London 2012, 800-meter freestyle
  • Gold in Rio 2016, 200 meter freestyle
  • Gold in Rio 2016, 4 x 200 meter freestyle relay
  • Gold in Rio 2016, 400 meter freestyle
  • Gold in Rio 2016, 800 meter freestyle
  • Gold in Tokyo 2020, 1500 meter freestyle
  • Gold in Tokyo 2020, 800 meter freestyle
  • Gold in Paris 2024, 1500 meter freestyle
  • Gold in Paris 2024, 800 meter freestyle
  • Silver in Tokyo 2020, 4 x 200 meter freestyle relay
  • Silver in Tokyo 2020, 400 meter freestyle
  • Silver in Rio 2016, 4 x 100 meter freestyle relay
  • Bronze in Paris 2024, 400 meter freestyle
  • Silver in Paris 2024, 4 x 200 meter freestyle relay