Katie Ledecky Wins Eighth Olympic Gold in 1,500m Freestyle, Sets Record with 15:30.02 for 12th Medal

Jul 31, 2024, 07:38 PM

Katie Ledecky has secured her eighth career Olympic gold medal and 12th overall medal by winning the 1,500-meter freestyle at the 2024 Paris Olympics in Naterre, France. Ledecky set a new Olympic record with a time of 15:30.02, breaking her own previous record. This victory ties her with Jenny Thompson for the most Olympic gold medals by a U.S. female swimmer and with Natalie Coughlin, Dara Torres, and Thompson for the most total medals by a U.S. female swimmer. Ledecky, 27, also became the oldest U.S. woman to win an individual Olympic swimming gold medal. She has now won back-to-back golds in the 1,500-meter freestyle, having first won the event when it debuted at the Tokyo Olympics. Ledecky finished the race more than 10 seconds ahead of her closest competitor, Anastasiia Kirpichnikova of France, who took silver, and Isabel Gose of Germany, who won bronze. She also holds the 20 fastest times in the history of the women's 1,500-meter freestyle, with the latest win extending her dominance by 15 meters.