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American swimmer Katie Ledecky has become both the most decorated woman in US Olympic history and the most decorated female Olympic swimmer of all time.
The 27-year-old was part of the women’s 4x200m freestyle relay team that won silver on 1 August, giving her a 13th medal overall and her third of Paris 2024.
Ledecky took bronze in the 400m freestyle and then came first in the 1500m freestyle to take home her eighth Olympic gold medal, bringing her to 12 medals overall, level with compatriots Dara Torres, Jenny Thompson and Natalie Coughlin, as well as Australia’s Emma McKeon.
Both Ledecky and McKeon have a chance to add to their medal tallies in Paris, with the American competing in the women’s 800m freestyle and McKeon taking part in the mixed 4x100m medley relay.
And a gold for Ledecky – who is favourite heading into the 800m freestyle – would take her level for the most gold medals for any female Olympian in history, alongside Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina.
“I try not to think about history very much,” Ledecky said, just after winning her eighth gold medal. “I know those names, those people that I’m up with. They’re swimmers that I looked up to when I first started swimming.
“It’s an honor to be named among them. I’m grateful to them for inspiring me and so many great swimmers over the years in the US that have helped me get to this moment.”
Though Ledecky remains a way behind Michael Phelps’ record medal tally of 28, she sits just five medals off being the outright second most decorated Olympian of all time. The aforementioned Latynina won 18 over just three Games between 1956 and 1964.
And this may be the final chance for Ledecky, who is competing in her fourth Olympics, to add to her medal tally. Nevertheless, the chance to compete on home soil in 2028 may prove too tempting, so we may yet see the Olympic legend make an appearance at a fifth Games.
