Seven-time Olympic gold medalist Katie Ledecky continues to stake her claim as one of the sport’s best when on Tuesday she tied Michael Phelps record for individual titles at the world championships.
Ledecky, 26, took home gold in the women’s 1,500-meter freestyle at the World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka, Japan on Tuesday with a time of 15 minutes, 26.27 seconds.
Katie Ledecky of United States is seen with her Gold medal after victory in the Women’s 1500m Freestyle final on day three of the Fukuoka 2023 World Aquatics Championships at Marine Messe Fukuoka Hall A on July 25, 2023 in Fukuoka, Japan. (Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
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It was the third-quickest time of her career in that event. She also beat the second-place finisher by 17 seconds.
Ledecky became the first person to win five world titles in two different events with Tuesday’s victory. She also tied Phelps, the most decorated Olympian of all time, for the most individual world titles.
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Katie Ledecky of United States competes in the Women’s 1500m Freestyle final on day three of the Fukuoka 2023 World Aquatics Championships at Marine Messe Fukuoka Hall A on July 25, 2023 in Fukuoka, Japan. (Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
She is now the most decorated female swimmer at the worlds with 20 gold medals overall, 15 of which have come in individual events.
“I never dreamed of winning one Olympic gold,” Ledecky said after the race. “So after I did it, it was like, ‘OK, the rest is icing on the cake, a cherry on top,’ whatever you call it. I’m just trying to build a really big cake, I guess.”
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USA’s Katie Ledecky celebrates after victory in the final of the women’s 1500m freestyle swimming event during the World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka on July 25, 2023. (MANAN VATSYAYANA/AFP via Getty Images)
She has a chance to make even more history this weekend with the 800m on Saturday. If she takes home gold, she will become the first to win six titles at the worlds in the same event.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
