This Olympic gold medal is Katie Ledecky’s eighth, which ties Jenny Thompson for the most for an American woman. Ledecky is also tied with Thompson, Natalie Coughlin and Dara Torres for 12 total medals.
Ledecky needs one more to tie Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina for the most gold medals for any female Olympian.
Ledecky, 27, has won 12 Olympic medals over four Games, and she’ll have a chance to add to that haul later this week with the women’s 800-meter freestyle (in which she is again a heavy favorite) and as part of the women’s 4×200-meter freestyle relay.
