Katie Ledecky wins 13th medal, most ever for female Olympian
NANTERRE, France — American women took silver in the 4×200-meter freestyle relay Thursday, putting an all-time record 13th medal around the neck of Katie Ledecky.
The team of swimmers Ledecky, Claire Weinstein, Paige Madden and Erin Gemmell placed second behind Australia — Mollie O’Callaghan, Lani Pallister, Brianna Throssell and Arianre Titmus — who turned in an Olympic record time of 7:38.08.
Defending Olympic-champion China took bronze.
Ledecky was a key contributor to Thursday night’s silver at Paris La Défense Arena, completing the third leg in 1:54.93, making up time against Throssell, who clocked in at 1:56.
Ledecky, 27, now has more swimming medals than any other woman in Olympics history. And she can add to that total Saturday in her final event, the 800-meter freestyle.
The four U.S. women stepped on to the podium in unison, clasping and raising their hands as a team. The medal formally went around Ledecky’s neck at 10:33 p.m. local time.
“It’s just amazing to get to be a part of even one-13th of the journey that she’s been on,” Gemmell said. “It’s so much more fun to be on a relay than to be by yourself, and we just had a great time out there tonight.”
Gemmell, as an 8-year-old, famously dressed up as her idol, Ledecky, for Halloween.
“It’s a lot to wrap my head around,” said Gemmell, 19. “It’s crazy now that I can use this medal in a Halloween costume for her.”
Ledecky did not speak to reporters after she received her historic medal. She’s scheduled to swim in qualifying heats for the 800 free on Friday a few minutes before noon local time.
Weinstein said, “It’s really special being on a relay for the USA, and it just makes it even more special that we could be a part of Katie’s journey.”
On Thursday, Ledecky won the grueling 1,500-meter freestyle — in Olympic record time — for her eighth gold and her 12th overall medal. No other female swimmer has as many golds as Ledecky, of Bethesda, Maryland.
And for about 24 hours, Ledecky shared a line in the history books with three fellow American icons of the pool and 12-time medalists, Jenny Thompson, Dara Torres and Natalie Coughlin.
Ledecky’s medals have come in London, Rio, Tokyo and France. She has no plans to slow down.
She has said she hopes to qualify for the 2028 Games in Los Angeles, where swimming will be held in nearby SoFi Stadium.
