PARIS—If there was one safe bet to be made at the Paris Olympics pool it was Katie Ledecky winning the women’s 1,500 meters, and the American once again on Wednesday proved she is swimming’s sure thing, powering her way to another gold.
As it has been for more than a decade, the question wasn’t if Ledecky, the reigning Olympic champion, would win the 1,500 but by how much, leaving the field in her powerful wake getting to the wall first in 15 minutes 30.02 seconds.
The time was almost 10 seconds off her own world record of 15:20.48 set in 2018, but the effort was more than enough to bring the American home almost half a pool length and 10.33 seconds clear of Frenchwoman Anastasiia Kirpichnikova.
Germany’s Isabel Gose won bronze.
Ledecky has absolutely owned the 1,500, posting the 19 fastest times in the event and setting the last six world records.
With her eighth gold the 27-year-old becomes the first female swimmer to stand at the top of the podium at four Olympics, joining compatriots Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte—the only men to have accomplished that feat.
She also moves equal with Jenny Thompson for the record of most Olympic gold medals by an American women’s swimmer.
More significantly after her 1,500 win and a bronze in the 400-meter free Ledecky sits on the brink of Michael Phelps territory as the greatest female Olympian of all-time.
One more gold medal in Paris will bring her haul from four Games to nine, matching the current mark set by gymnast Larisa Latynina.
With the 800-meter free and possible relays still to come, Ledecky could leave Paris officially crowned the greatest ever in her sport.
By Steve Keating