It seems nearly impossible not to be inspired by the Olympic Games, where once every four years the greatest athletes come together to demonstrate their skill and make history. This year, numerous firsts have been made and records have been broken. And one of the most impressive displays of athletic potential came from swimmer Katie Ledecky.
During the Paris 2024 Olympics, Ledecky – alongside teammates Claire Weinstein, Paige Madden, and Erin Gemmell – were awarded silver for their performance in the 4×200-meter freestyle relay. And in doing so, Ledecky broke the record for having the most Olympic medals for a female in history. According to NBC Olympics, Katie Ledecky has a whopping collection of thirteen medals, and out of those, eight medals – yes, that’s more than half of them – are gold. Here’s a breakdown of her Olympic awards.
How Many Olympics Has Katie Ledecky Competed In?
Paris is Ledecky’s fourth Olympic Games. Originally from Bethesda, Maryland, the 27-year-old previously competed in London, Rio, and Tokyo, and – according to AP News – has every intention of competing in LA in 2028.
How Many Olympics Medals Has Katie Ledecky Won?
Of her 13 Olympic medals, three were won at the Paris 2024 Games: the silver for the team’s 4x200m performance, plus gold for winning the 1,500 freestyle – during which the distance between herself and her competition was almost unreal – and a bronze in the 400 freestyle. Plus, Ledecky will compete in the 800 freestyle on Aug. 3, where she’ll have the opportunity to become the first female swimmer to win the same event at four consecutive Olympics.
In total, Ledecky has eight golds, four silvers and one bronze, won over the span of four Olympics. But, when you think back on Ledecky’s career accomplishments, it’s almost like we shouldn’t even be surprised. Besides, she already proved she can swim with a glass of chocolate milk on her head. Ledecky is not playing around. (She also somehow found time to write about her journey in a memoir, “Just Add Water,” which was released in June.)
Ledecky’s history-making wins are especially poignant when you consider that it during another Olympic Games in Paris that women were first allowed to compete, back in 1900, per the Olympics website. Women’s swimming, however, wasn’t officially added as a category until 1912, and even then it was only two events. Now, the number of swimming events at the Olympic games are the same for both men and women. Ledecky’s dominance is a heartening reminder of why women athletes must be at least equally represented in competitions like the Olympic Games – imagine all we’d be missing out on if they weren’t.
Jade Esmeralda, MS, CSCS, is a Staff Writer, Health & Fitness. A life-long martial artist and dancer, Jade has a strong passion for strength & conditioning, sports science, and human performance. She graduated with a Master of Science degree in Exercise Science and Strength and Conditioning from George Washington University.
