Katie Ledecky Dominates 1,500-Meter Freestyle

When the women’s 1,500-meter freestyle debuted on the Olympic program in Tokyo, Ledecky won by more than four seconds.

PARIS, France — Katie Ledecky dominated the pool on Wednesday, capturing her first gold medal at the Paris Summer Games in the 1,500-meter freestyle.

Ledecky was a full 10 seconds ahead of the silver medalist, breaking her own Olympic record in the process.

Until this event, Ledecky’s only medal in Paris had been a bronze from the 400 freestyle.

The victory raises her career total to 12 Olympic medals, equalling the women’s swimming all-time record.

Additionally, this win gives her eight gold medals, tying her with Jenny Thompson for the most gold medals won by an American woman. A ninth gold in Paris would set a new record.

Entering the race, Ledecky was the heavy favorite, boasting the 20 fastest times in the world for the 1,500-meter freestyle. 

This is a breaking news story and will be updated as more information becomes available.