2024 PARIS SUMMER OLYMPIC GAMES
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Note: Opinions in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of SwimSwam as a whole.
For the first time in a long time, a women’s 800 free race with Katie Ledecky had some uncertainty.
Since 2012, the event was a sure win for Ledecky. There was a time where she held the 30 fastest times in the race, and she took the event to new heights — lowering the world record from 8:14.10 to 8:04.79 in her career. From when she was 15 to 27, she never lost the race at a major meet. Even when she was in the hospital a few days prior to racing at the 2019 World Championships, she managed to win. Even when Australia’s Ariarne Titmus was riding her waves at the Tokyo Olympics, when Ledecky posted her slowest Olympic 800 free winning time ever (8:12.57), it didn’t feel like she could be passed. Even when teenage phenom Summer McIntosh beat Ledecky in this race for the first time since 2010 earlier this year, it didn’t matter as much because it happened at a smaller meet.
But during this 800 free race at the 2024 Paris Olympics, something shifted.
On one hand, Ledecky’s win is yet another testament to her longevity and continues to cementer her legacy as the most accomplished female swimmer of all-time, and perhaps the second-most accomplished overall swimmer behind Michael Phelps. She touched the wall in a time of 8:11.04, which is still faster than what any other woman in history has gone and over a second faster than any swimmer in the field. It was also over a second quicker than the time she went in Tokyo.
With that win, Ledecky became the first female swimmer (and second swimmer) to four-peat in an event at the Olympics. She also won her ninth gold medal, tying Larisa Latynina for most gold medals amongst female Olympians. She was already a legend before, but now she’s even more so.
But the on the other hand, the 800 free race also felt vulnerable. Ledecky was leading from start to finish, but there were times where Titmus was less than half a meter away from her. Eventually, Ledecky pulled away, but she could never shrug Titmus off. Titmus went a best time of 8:12.24, just over a second away from Ledecky. And then there was bronze medalist Paige Madden, who clocked a time of 8:13.00 — a mark that would have defeated Ledecky at the 2012 Olympics and put her in serious trouble at the 2021 Olympics. It’s one thing for one competition like Titmus and McIntosh to threaten Ledecky, but when it’s multiple people in one race, it’s truly a sign that she’s not quite lonely at the top anymore.
In early 2021, it was only Ledecky’s egregiously large amount of 800 free performances separating her and Rebecca Adlington, the woman who held the 800 free world record before she did. Now, there are four other swimmers in between the two. The world has begun to catch up.
After Tokyo, Ledecky’s dissatisfaction with her times were temporarily quelled with a chance of scenery — she moved from Stanford to Florida to train amongst some of the best male distance swimmers in America. And it worked for a while: in 2023, she posted her fastest 800 and 1500 free performances since 2016 and 2018 respectively. It was the closest she had ever gotten to reaching the heights she achieved as a seemingly invincible teenager, and it truly felt like age was just a number for her. But this year, it proved to be more than that. And the reality is that no matter how many training or technique changes she does, age is inevitable.
For the first time in a long time, the question of “what now?” cannot be answered. Ledecky has already accomplished all that she has — everything else she does just further polishes her legacy. Will she aim to become the first swimmer to five-peat at a home Olympics in 2028? Will she drop the mid-distance races and become a full-on distance specialist (mind you, she still won the 1500 free by over ten seconds)?
Even Ledecky herself doesn’t know the answer, and that might just be because she herself sensed her own vulnerability too. She had long been adamant about wanting to swim at the 2028 Olympics, but it’s not that simple anymore.
“I’d love to, but it’s not easy,” Ledecky said of swimming at the LA Olympics. “I’ll take it year by year and give it everything I’ve got for as long as I have left in me.”
Don’t get us wrong, perhaps a final queen’s coronation on home soil is what Ledecky deserves. For as great as she’s been, it almost feels like she’s never had her Olympics. At the 2016 Rio Games, arguably the best meet of her career, much of the spotlight was on Phelps and his retirement. Dressel was the star of the show at the 2021 Olympics, while Leon Marchand got the glory at the 2024 Paris Olympics. As a swimmer who has completely transcended her sport, Ledecky deserves a moment to herself as well. And what better opportunity than LA?
But four more years might not be what Ledecky wants, or something she thinks she’s capable of. In a career that has been marked with continuity and consistency, the now 27-year-old now steps into the unknown. And that might be what makes us realize that swimming truly won’t be the same when she’s gone.
Other Highlights:
- Canada’s Summer McIntosh virtually locked up the “female swimmer of the meet” award, clocking an Olympic record time to win the 200 IM – her third individual gold medal. Then United States’ Kate Douglass finished second, while her teammate Alex Walsh got third but was then DQed. Canada’s Sydney Pickrem finished sixth.
- The United States’ Ryan Murphy, Nic Fink, Gretchen Walsh, and Torri Huske broke the mixed medley relay world record, while Canada finished fifth.
- Canada’s Josh Liendo and Ilya Kharun took silver and bronze respectivley in the men’s 200 fly. Liendo broke the Canadian record.
North American Medal Table:
| COUNTRY | GOLD | SILVER | BRONZE |
| United States | 6 | 12 | 7 |
| Canada | 3 | 2 | 3 |
Unless McIntosh or Titmus put more focus on this event you would have to put your money on Ledecky winning it for a fifth time.
Ledecky shouldn’t swim a hefty schedule anymore. In Los Angeles she would be fine swimming the 800 and 1500 only, and making sure the schedule makers place the 800 first. She can’t have the more vulnerable event late in the meet, which was the case in Tokyo and Paris.
Women’s distance swimming is incredibly pathetic. You never have an exciting young prospect like Tuncelli. Summer’s lark this year and Page Madden’s “why not?” 8:13 are evidence of what I’ve always insisted. Those numbers are no big deal. Ledecky’s monopolization of the all time list is more a condemnation of the events than stratospheric unreachable heights. The 8:04 is excellent but there should be a cluster of sub-8:10 worldwide.
It is… Read more »
I believe that this time today was faster than Tokyo and in Tokyo the race was closer with Titmus?
It’s hard to imagine she will still win this event in another 4 years.
But she is Katie Ledecky, so who knows.
I was feeling upbeat to see others finally got up to Katie’s 2013-ish time. It would have been so sad if no other women inspired enough, worked hard enough to challenge her time and race her. I admire KL’s ability in staying on top and still swimming a time that only she had done since 2013.
So I don’t understand the sense of “vulnerability” in this article. What do we fans expect and want? No one challenging her? That she has to continuously be ahead of the competition for 5s or 10s to be satisfied? If KL ever wanted to “change” swimming, or leave a legacy, I assume it would be more women step up in the distance races,… Read more »
lowkey this is the first article I actually hate bc it’s totally speculative
I love swimswam bc it almost always (until now) sticks to times, evidence and facts of the sport of swimming
can’t we just appreciate the historic nature of this legendary swimmer for what it is now?!
I bet twenty dollars you’re not going to ask this question about Sarah Sjostrom even though she just made history at this olympics and she’s BEEN IN THE SPORT LONGER
i’m sorry but this is pissing me off so much. please keep the coverage on the swimming news not cheap swimming gossip. rant over
instead here’s an idea for an interesting, data analysis article
—> Ledecky & Sjostrom’s longevity should be compared to Phelps & Lochte
if you do a article about that, you can provide proper evidence and compare their best event’s progression of times (Sjostrom would be a true anomaly due to her still clinching those PRs in the 50 FR)
you could even add some legendary folks to that conversation like Hosszu, Manaudou, Vollmer, etc.
100% this.
And even if it is indeed over, SO WHAT? All good things must come to an end.
Ledecky started out as 15 year old teenager, and is now a 27 year old woman. Can you really expect her to keep going like she did 12 years ago?
She has been the epitome of excellence in her sport over four Olympic cycles now. Are we able to celebrate that and that alone?
Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end, However, I would not want to write Katie off so quickly. She is still the best distance swimmer to this day. Titmus and Madden gave her a good run for the money, but Katie still prevailed. If Katie still finds swimming enjoyable, she will most like still do well in 2028. Not to take away from Katie but I was extremely impressed with Paige Madden’s swim. So happy to have two ladies from the USA get medals
Are the Americans going to win both Medleys tomorrow?
Women’s one looks p good – better or worse depending on how you think King’ll swim. Men’s looks like a dogfight w/ China – if both teams first two legs repeat what they did in the mixed relay, it’ll basically come down to how much can Dressel beat their butterflyer by?
If it’s by more than a second, US chances are prolly better than even.
I think they feel like pretty strong favorites for both. Assuming Caeleb got some rest and is closer to the 50.1 he was on prelims of the mixed medley, that one seems pretty safe. If Torri keeps swimming like Torri has been swimming, the women’s seems like a good bet too.