With a silver in the 4x200-meter freestyle relay Thursday night, Katie Ledecky collected the 13th medal of her stellar career to become the most decorated female in swimming history and U.S. Olympics history.
In her next-to-last event of these games, Ledecky broke the mark she shared with fellow Americans Dara Torres, Natalie Coughlin and Jenny Thompson. The 27-year-old now has eight golds, four silvers and one bronze over four Olympics, with every intention of swimming on to Los Angeles in 2028.
Chances are, she'll have this record all to herself by the time she completes the Paris Olympics.
"The best to EVER do it," proclaimed USA Swimming.
Only Michael Phelps has more American Olympics medals, with 28 total.
Get Tri-state area news delivered to your inbox. Sign up for NBC New York's News Headlines newsletter.
Ledecky still has one more race and chance at a medal in Paris, the 800m freestyle medal event on Saturday, Aug. 3.
Paris 2024 Summer Olympics and Paralympics
Watch all the action from the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games live on Peacock
How many Olympic medals does Katie Ledecky have?
Ledecky has a total of 13 Olympic medals, with eight of them gold, four silver and one bronze.
How many Olympics has Katie Ledecky been in?
Ledecky has competed in four Olympics, the first being London in 2012, where she won a gold medal in the women's 800m freestyle at the age of 15.
In 2016, Ledecky won four gold medals, all for freestyle events (women's 200m, 400m, 800m freestyle and the 4x200m freestyle relay), as well as a silver in the women's 4x100m freestyle relay.
In Tokyo, Ledecky won two gold medals (women's 800m and 1500m freestyle) and two silver medals (women's 400m freestyle and 4x200m freestyle relay).
So far, in Paris, Ledecky has won a gold in the women's 1500m freestyle, a silver in the 4x200m freestyle relay and a bronze in the women's 400m freestyle.
What Olympic medals did Katie Ledecky get in the past?
- 2012: 800m freestyle gold
- 2016: 200m free gold
- 2016: 400m free gold
- 2016: 800m free gold
- 2016: 4x200m free relay gold
- 2016: 4x100m free relay silver
- 2020: 800m free gold
- 2020: 1500m free gold
- 2020: 400m free silver
- 2020: 4x200m free relay silver
She is also a 21-time world champion and 26-time world medalist, both women swimmer records.
What other 2024 Olympics events will Katie Ledecky compete in?
Ledecky is also slated to race in the second heat for the women's 800m freestyle on Friday, Aug. 2, at around 5:52 a.m. If she qualifies, Ledecky will race in the women's 800m freestyle gold medal event on Saturday, Aug. 3, at around 3:08 p.m.
Katie Ledecky is expected to compete in four Olympics events in Paris.
- 400m free (earned Bronze)
- 800m free
- 1500m free (earned Gold)
- 4x200m free relay (earned Silver)
Katie Ledecky has family connections to the New York area
Ledecky is from Bethesda, Maryland, beloved in the area and from the same state as fellow Olympics legend Michael Phelps.
"We really appreciate all the support, we feel their energy for sure," Ledecky said about the messages of support from back in Maryland and the Washington, D.C. area.
Ledecky currently resides in Gainesville, Florida.
Her father, David, was born in Brooklyn and grew up in Queens, New York and Greenwich, Connecticut. Her mother, Mary Gen, is from North Dakota and swam at the University of Mexico.
Did you know Ledecky's uncle, Jon, is a part-owner of the New York Islanders?
