Capping off another impressive Olympics, Ledecky became just the second swimmer to win an event at four consecutive Summer Games, outpacing Ariarne Titmus, the “Terminator,” to secure victory in the 800 free on Saturday night. This win marks her second gold medal in Paris and the ninth of her extraordinary career, adding yet another milestone to her legacy. “It’s not easy,” Ledecky said. “I’ll take it year by year, and we’ll see if I can keep giving everything I’ve got for as long as I have left in me.”
She became only the sixth Olympian to join the club with swimmer Mark Spitz, track star Carl Lewis, Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina and Finnish runner Paavo Nurmi.