On Thursday, the American women’s 4×200-meter freestyle relay team clinched a silver medal at the Paris Olympics, marking an impressive milestone for Katie Ledecky as she secured her 13th Olympic medal.
Katie Ledecky Secures 13th Olympic Medal
The team, consisting of Ledecky, Claire Weinstein, Paige Madden, and Erin Gemmell, finished second behind Australia, who set a new Olympic record with a time of 7:38.08. Defending Olympic champions China earned the bronze medal.
Ledecky played a crucial role in the team’s performance at the Paris La Défense Arena, swimming the third leg in 1:54.93, and closing the gap on Australia’s Brianna Throssell, who completed her leg in 1:56.
At 27 years old, Ledecky has become the most decorated female swimmer in Olympic history. She has the opportunity to further her record in her final event, the 800m freestyle, on Saturday.
Earlier on Thursday, Ledecky won the demanding 1,500-meter freestyle in an Olympic record time, earning her eighth gold and 12th overall medal. No other female swimmer has achieved as many golds as Ledecky, a native of Bethesda, Maryland.
Ledecky hopes to qualify for 2028 Olympics
For a brief period, Ledecky shared her historic achievement with fellow American swimming legends and 12-time medalists Jenny Thompson, Dara Torres, and Natalie Coughlin.
Ledecky’s medals span across the Olympics in London, Rio, Tokyo, and now Paris, with no plans of slowing down. The Stanford University alum aims to qualify for the 2028 games in Los Angeles, where swimming events will take place at the nearby SoFi Stadium.
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