OAN Staff Blake Wolf
2:12 PM – Wednesday, July 31, 2024
American swimmer Katie Ledecky successfully swam her way into breaking an Olympics record in the 1,500-meter freestyle, while also receiving her eighth gold medal.
Advertisement
The most recent gold medal now puts her in a first-place tie with athlete Jenny Thompson for the most gold medals among female swimmers of all time.
Ledecky clocked in at the record-setting time of 15:30:02, cementing her status as one of the greatest swimmers of all time.
The race saw Ledecky completely dominate the competition.
“I felt really good. I just tried to hold steady the whole time. Hold the stroke, hold my time, each 50 [meters] and to swim a time that I could feel really happy with. I’m really proud of that swim,” she said.
Ledecky has been undefeated in the 1,500-meter freestyle during her professional career, winning five world titles and becoming the first female swimmer to win gold medals at four separate Olympics.
The swimmer, who was originally born in Washington, D.C., now holds the 20 fastest times in history for the 1,500 meter. She was 18 seconds faster than the second fastest swimmer.
However, when Ledecky was still in high school, 14 years ago, she did lose a 1,500-meter competition during a regional meet.
Ledecky still has two more events to compete in at the 2024 Paris Olympics, including the 4×200 freestyle relay and the 800-freestyle.
Stay informed! Receive breaking news blasts directly to your inbox for free. Subscribe here. https://www.oann.com/alerts
Advertisements below