Katie Ledecky of the USA won the gold in the women’s 800m freestyle at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, marking her fourth consecutive victory in this event. She finished with a time of 8:11.04, defeating Ariarne Titmus of Australia, who set an Oceanian record with her silver medal time of 8:12.29. Paige Madden secured the bronze medal, rounding out a remarkable finish for Team USA.

During the women’s 800m freestyle final at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Katie Ledecky of the USA triumphed over Ariarne Titmus of Australia, securing the gold medal with a time of 8:11.04. This victory marked Ledecky’s fourth gold in this event, having previously won in London (2012), Rio (2016), and Tokyo (2020). The final took place on August 3 at the Paris La Defense Arena, a date that held personal significance for Ledecky.

Reflecting on her win, Ledecky expressed, “The four times one [record] is the one that means the most to me. August 3 is the day I won in 2012, and I didn’t want August 3 to be a day I didn’t like, moving forwards.” She acknowledged feeling pressure but was ultimately pleased with her performance. The race was closely contested, with both swimmers maintaining a steady pace until Ledecky began to pull ahead at the 600m mark, finishing with a notable gap between them.

“I had to trust that I could swim the race any way I wanted to,” Ledecky remarked. Her recent performance builds upon her already impressive medal tally, which includes a silver in the women’s 4x200m freestyle relay, bringing her total Olympic medals to 14, of which nine are gold.

Ariarne Titmus also delivered an exceptional performance, achieving a time of 8:12.29, which set a new Oceanian record. While not the desired result, Titmus expressed satisfaction with her personal best, stating, “I’m so happy to do a [personal best]. This is the toughest week of racing you can possibly do. I gave it everything.”

Titmus’s week included multiple events including the 200m, 400m, and 800m freestyle, as well as the women’s 4x200m freestyle relay final. She left Paris 2024 with a total of four medals—two gold and two silver. “I knew what to expect physically and emotionally coming into this from learning from last Olympics,” she shared, underscoring her determination amidst the pressure.

Paige Madden of Team USA made a remarkable late-race effort to secure the bronze medal with a time of 8:13.00. Expressing her surprise at her performance, Madden stated, “I never thought I was going to go faster than I did in Tokyo. I’m still in shock, I’m trying to put it into words.” She and Ledecky shared a special moment on the podium as they sang their national anthem together.

The women’s 800m freestyle final results were:
Gold: Katie Ledecky, USA
Silver: Ariarne Titmus, AUS
Bronze: Paige Madden, USA
Further results can be found at Olympics.com.

Katie Ledecky’s remarkable victory in the women’s 800m freestyle at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games reaffirms her status as a dominant force in swimming. Her fourth consecutive gold in this event, coupled with her ongoing medal success, highlights her extraordinary capabilities. Ariarne Titmus’ record-breaking performance and Paige Madden’s bronze further showcase the high level of competition and achievements at this prestigious event.

Original Source: www.olympics.com

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