Katie Ledecky, a seven-time Olympic gold medalist in swimming, is aiming to become the most decorated female Olympic swimmer of all time at the 2024 Paris Games. Competing in four different events, including the 400-, 800- and 1,500-meter freestyle, as well as the 4×200 freestyle relay, Ledecky is just two medals behind the record held by Jenny Thompson, Dara Torres and Natalie Coughlin. If she can win three of those events, she will break Larisa Latynina’s overall women’s record of nine Olympic gold medals.
In the women’s 400-meter freestyle, Ledecky won her qualifying heat with a time of 4:02:19 and will compete in the final later in the day. Swimming against her top rival, Australian Ariarne Titmus, Ledecky outkicked her over the final 50 meters to secure the win by 0.1 seconds. USA’s Paige Madden also qualified for the final by swimming the sixth-fastest time in her heat. The final of the women’s 400 freestyle is scheduled for 2:55 p.m. ET (8:55 p.m. in Paris) and will feature the top eight swimmers from the qualifying round.
Ledecky’s previous Olympic performances in the 400 freestyle include a gold medal at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games with a world record time of 3:56:46, as well as a silver medal at the 2020 Tokyo Games with a time of 3:57:36. With her sights set on adding more medals to her impressive collection, Ledecky is determined to continue her success in the pool and make her mark as one of the greatest female swimmers of all time.
The rivalry between Ledecky and Titmus in the women’s 400 freestyle final is expected to be a highlight of the event. Both swimmers have demonstrated their talent and competitive spirit in previous competitions, making for an exciting showdown in the pool. As Ledecky seeks to secure her first gold medal in Paris, spectators and fans alike will be eagerly watching to see if she can outperform her competitors and achieve her goal of becoming the most decorated female Olympic swimmer in history.
With the women’s 400 freestyle final set to take place later in the day, Ledecky will have little time to relax before she dives back into the pool to compete for gold. As she prepares for the race, Ledecky will draw on her experience, training, and determination to give her best performance and hopefully secure another victory. Whether she adds to her impressive medal count or faces a new challenge, Ledecky’s journey at the 2024 Paris Games promises to be an exciting and memorable one for fans of swimming and the Olympics.
