Katie Ledecky continues to make history. On Saturday, she won her ninth gold medal and 14th overall medal by finishing first in the 800-meter freestyle at her fourth Olympic Games.
Earlier, Ledecky had already become the most decorated female Olympic swimmer ever when she won silver with the U.S. 4×200 freestyle relay team, bringing her career total to 13 medals.
Her nine gold medals are the most ever for a female swimmer and for any American female athlete across all sports. This achievement ties her with Larisa Latynina, a Soviet gymnast who won nine golds in the 1950s and 1960s.
Ledecky says she doesn’t focus much on her place in history, instead enjoying the experience. “I hope to look back with the same joy I feel now,” she told reporters at Paris La Défense Arena.
In the 800-meter freestyle, Ledecky swam a time of 8:11.04, making it the 13th-fastest recorded time. She admitted feeling a lot of pressure before the race but was relieved once it was over.
Silver medalist Ariarne Titmus, who finished with a time of 8:12.29, recalled watching Ledecky win gold in London when she was 11. “It’s an honor to compete against her,” Titmus said. Paige Madden of Mobile, Alabama, won the bronze.
Ledecky holds the 17 fastest 800-meter freestyle times in history and 24 of the top 25. She recently lost her first 800-meter final since 2010 to Canadian swimmer Summer McIntosh, who has the 18th-fastest time at 8:11.39. McIntosh did not compete in the 800 in Paris.
Ledecky leaves the Games with two golds, one silver, and one bronze. She previously won medals in London, Rio, and Tokyo and plans to compete in Los Angeles in 2028.