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Ledecky now has the second most gold medal wins of any athlete ever at the Olympics.
Katie Ledecky won the ninth gold medal of her Olympic career on Saturday. AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi
NANTERRE, France (AP) — Katie Ledecky capped another stellar Olympics by becoming the second swimmer to win an event at four straight Summer Games, holding off Ariarne Titmus to win the 800-meter freestyle on Saturday night.
It was Ledecky’s second gold medal in Paris and the ninth of her remarkable career, marking another milestone. She became just the sixth Olympian to reach that mark, joining swimmer Mark Spitz, track star Carl Lewis, Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina and Finnish runner Paavo Nurmi in a tie for second.
Ledecky won in 8:11.04 seconds to edge Australia’s Ariarne Titmus in 8:12.29. The 27-year-old hugged US teammate Paige Madden afterwards on the pool deck. Madden took home the bronze medal.
The only athlete to win more golds: swimmer Michael Phelps with 23. She also joins Phelps as the only swimmer to win the same event at four consecutive Summer Games.
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