Katie Ledecky claims 8th gold medal after 1,500m win, notching new Olympic record

NANTERRE, France — American swimmer Katie Ledecky has done it again, winning her 8th career gold medal Wednesday at the Paris Summer Olympics.

Ledecky, age 27, finished the women’s 1,500 meter freestyle final more than ten seconds ahead of the silver medal finisher.

Ledecky also set a new Olympic record.

The 1,500 meter race is a grueling endurance event, Ledecky swam like a sprinter.

In front of a packed roaring crowd at La Defense arena, she broke away early from the other swimmers, and gradually widened her lead.

Anastasiia Kirpichnikova of France won silver while Isabel Gose of Germany took bronze.

After receiving her gold medal, Ledecky grinned and waved at the capacity crowd before hugging her coaches and teammates.

Ledecky has now won gold medals in four different Olympic games and hasn’t lost this race in 14 years.

Speaking before her swim, Ledecky said she’s learned to love the intense, non-stop training regimen that’s allowed her to compete at this elite level for so long.

Another American 21-year-old Torri Huske, a new star in these Olympics, also had a strong night.

After winning her first gold medal a few days ago, Huske raced to a silver medal in the 100 meter freestyle final.

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