There wasn’t another competitor in the broadcast’s frame when U.S. swimmer Katie Ledecky cruised to her eighth Olympic gold medal Wednesday, setting a new record in the 1,500-meter freestyle. The latest gold for Ledecky, 27, means she’s tied with Jenny Thompson for mostgold medals by an American woman in Olympic history. Ledecky is also tied for having the most overall medals among American women, collecting 12 total like Thompson, Natalie Coughlin, and Dara Torres did in their Olympic careers. Ledecky is projected to be the lone leader medal count among U.S. women by the end of these Olympic Games, however. She will have her first shot at another medal this week in the women’s 800-meter freestyle, which she won in the last Olympics and is heavily favored to win again—and as part of the women’s 4×200-meter freestyle relay team, which won a silver medal in the Tokyo Games.
