| | | |  | | | | Saturday August 13, 2016 | | |  | | | | NurPhoto via Getty Images | | | | Katie Ledecky Breaks Her Own World Record For Fourth Rio Gold | | | Katie Ledecky decimated her own world record for the women’s 800-meter freestyle at the Rio Olympics on Friday, winning gold with no other competitors in sight.
During Friday’s final, Ledecky even beat the record she set just a day ago in the preliminary heats with a time of 8 minutes, 4.79 seconds. She won her first Olympic medal in 2012 in the 800-meter freestyle, too, but now, four years later, can do it seconds faster. Ledecky has now broken her own world record six times in the 800-meter freestyle.
Jazmin Carlin of Great Britain came in second at 8 minutes, 16.17 seconds, almost 12 seconds slowers. Boglárka Kapás of Hungary came in in third at 8 minutes, 16.37 seconds.
The 19-year-old American swimmer’s trophy case is quickly expanding; she’s now earned five Olympic gold medals. In Rio de Janeiro, she also won for the 200-meter freestyle and the 400-meter freestyle ― during which race she smashed another of her own world records ― along with the 4x200-meter freestyle relay with the U.S. swim team. She scored a silver medal with her team for the 4x100-meter freestyle relay, too.
Teammate Michael Phelps broke a 2,000-year-old Olympic record Thursday by scoring his 22nd Olympic gold medal. While he and American swimmer Lilly King have caused a stir for their celebratory and delightfully shame-y finger-wagging after their victories, Ledecky maintained her signature modest disposition after her Friday win.
Ledecky, hailing from Maryland, is pledged to begin at Stanford University as a freshman in the fall, where she will continue swimming ― likely keeping in tip-top shape for the next Olympics.
For more Olympics coverage: Disappointed North Korean Says He Is ‘Not A Hero’ For Winning Silver Fiji Wins First Ever Olympic Gold, Immediately Declares Public Holiday Straight Writer Blasted For ‘Outing’ Olympians In Daily Beast Piece Queen Simone Biles Claims Her Olympic Crown At Last | | | | | |
