Ledecky makes U.S. history with 13th medal

PARIS — Katie Ledecky is now the most decorated American woman in Olympic history.

With a silver medal Thursday in the 4×200 meter relay, Ledecky won her 13th medal, breaking a tie with swimmers Natalie Coughlin, Jenny Thompson and Dara Torres.

Ledecky has eight golds, four silvers and one bronze in her Olympic career. The eight golds are just one shy of the women’s record, held by Larisa Latynina, a gymnast from the Soviet Union whose final Olympics was in Tokyo (1964).

The 27-year-old Ledecky also becomes the most decorated woman in swimming history, regardless of country, and is second only in the Olympic pool to American icon Michael Phelps, who has 28 medals all-time.

Ledecky did not speak to the media after Thursday’s race, as she swam in the qualifying event for the 800-meter freestyle on Friday afternoon, advancing to her final individual event in Paris, scheduled for Saturday.

With a victory, Ledecky would join fellow American Michael Phelps as the only swimmers — of any gender and from any country — to win four gold medals in the same event.

Ledecky had the fastest time in the morning heats (8 minutes, 16.62 seconds) and is an overwhelming favorite for gold. She is the record holder at the distance with a time of 8:04.79.

Ledecky first won this event in the 2012 London Olympics. Phelps won the 200 individual medley four times.

“I try not to really think about it,” Ledecky said Friday. “Just taking it one event at a time and I know I have challenges in each of my events.

“When it’s all said and done, I’ll enjoy it,” she added.

After dominating the 1,500-meter freestyle Wednesday, the 27-year-old Ledecky said she isn’t considering quitting anytime soon and that she hopes to compete for Team USA at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.

“It’s amazing to be part of 1/13 of the journey she’s been on,” said American teammate Emma Gemmel, who grew up idolizing Ledecky — even dressing up like her now-teammate for Halloween when she was 8. “It’s so much more fun to be on a relay than be by yourself, and we had so much fun tonight.”

Added 17-year-old teammate Claire Weinstein, who swam the first leg of Thursday’s relay: “It’s really special being on a relay for the USA, and it’s even more special that we could be part of Katie’s journey.”

Ledecky and her teammates were not able to upset Australia in the women’s 4×200 meter freestyle relay on Thursday, however. The Aussies, led by Mollie O’Callaghan and Ariarne Titmus, earned the gold.

O’Callaghan, gold medalist in the 200 freestyle, started things off for the Australians, giving them a lead they never relinquished as Lani Pallister and Briana Throssell kept the team out front, even as Ledecky tried in vain to chase down Throssell on the third leg.

When Titmus dove in on the anchor leg with the lead, it was essentially over. The winner of the 400 freestyle and silver medalist in the 200 free finished in an Olympic record of 7:38.08.

Gemmell held off China to give the U.S. the silver in 7:40.86. Weinstein and Paige Madden rounded out the American squad.

Yang Junxuan, Li Bingjie, Ge Chutong and Liu Yaxin earned the bronze in 7:42.34.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.