Katie Ledecky sets new Olympic swimming record after Team USA wins silver in 4 x 200m freestyle

Katie Ledecky broke yet another record Thursday after Team USA won a silver medal in the women’s 4 x 200m freestyle relay.

At 27 years old, she has become the most decorated female swimmer in Olympic history with a total of 13 medals. Her latest victory in the 1500m freestyle not only earned her the eighth gold of her career but also tied her with past swimming legends Natalie Coughlin, Jenny Thompson, and Dara Torres.

The Maryland native set an Olympic record in the 1500m freestyle, finishing in 15:30.02, which equaled Thompson’s record for the most gold medals won by a female swimmer.

During the race, Ledecky shared that her thoughts drifted to the people who have supported her throughout her career. “I was thinking of all the people that have trained with me, saying their names in my head,” she said. She specifically thanked her training group in Florida, acknowledging their significant role in her preparation: “To my Florida crew, all those Florida boys who pushed me every day, I love you guys. I know I make your life hard a lot of days, but you guys made my life a lot easier today, so thank you so much.”

The following day, Ledecky, along with teammates Claire Weinstein, Paige Madden, and Erin Gemmell, clinched the silver medal in the 4 x 200m freestyle relay, finishing behind Australia. This medal brought Ledecky’s tally to 13, making her the most decorated American woman in Olympic history and the top female swimmer globally, second only to Michael Phelps, who has 28 medals.

As the swimming events draw to a close, Katie Ledecky has one more opportunity to increase her medal haul, with the 800m freestyle race scheduled for Saturday.

Although the Paris Olympics is her fourth Olympic appearance, Ledecky is already setting her sights on the 2028 Los Angeles Games. “Yeah, I’ve been consistent these last few months and these last few years, in saying that I would love to compete in LA, and that hasn’t changed,” she stated.

Congratulations, Katie! You are the greatest of all time.