American Katie Ledecky, who won the 1,500-meter freestyle final on Wednesday, equaled her compatriot Jenny Thompson as the swimmer with the most gold medals in Olympic history with a total of eight each.
A figure to add to the three silver medals and the bronze that Ledecky has collected in an Olympic record that the Maryland native debuted at just 15 years old at the 2012 London Games after being crowned champion of the 800 freestyle.
A title to which Katie Ledecky added four more at the 2016 Rio Games, where the North American won the 200, 400 and 800 freestyle, as well as making a decisive contribution to the United States’ victory in the 4×200 freestyle relay final.
These were not the only medals Ledecky won in the Brazilian capital, where the American swimmer, who turned 27 last March, had to settle for silver in the 4×100 freestyle final.
The American added to her tally five years later at the Tokyo Games, where Katie Ledecky won her third consecutive gold in the 800m freestyle event and became the first Olympic champion in the 1,500m.
A rarity
Triumphs that the swimmer from Bethesda, the swimmer with the most medals – 21 golds and 5 silvers – in the history of the World Championships, could not repeat either in the 4×200 relay, in which she won silver, or in the 400 freestyle, in which she was relegated to second place by the Australian Ariarne Titmus.
A defeat that Katie Ledecky was unable to take revenge for in Paris after having to settle for a medal in the 400m race behind Australian Titmus and Canadian Summer McIntosh.
The American exchanged bronze for gold in the 1,500m final on Wednesday, in which Ledecky reclaimed the Olympic title she won three years ago in Tokyo with a time of 15:30.02 minutes, a new Olympic record.
Ten seconds less than the French Anastasiia Kirpichnikova, silver with a time of 15:40.35, and eleven less than the German Isabel Gose, who completed the podium with a time of 15:41.16 minutes.
An unforgettable achievement
A result that allowed the American to equal her compatriot Jenny Thompson as the swimmer with the most gold medals in the history of the Olympic Games.
In her four Olympic appearances, Thompson won eight gold medals – two in Barcelona 92, three in Atlanta 1996 and three in Sydney 2000 -, three silver medals – one in Barcelona 92 and two in Athens 2004 – and one bronze in Sydney 2000.
Unlike Katie Ledecky, who has already won 12 Olympic medals, Jenny Thompson’s gold medals have all come in relay events.
Figures very far from those of the also American Michael Phelps, who is not only the most decorated swimmer, but also the most successful athlete in Olympic history after winning a total of twenty-eight medals, twenty-three of them gold.
Paris / EFE
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2024-08-02 07:18:01
