Team USA’s Katie Ledecky poses after winning the women’s 1,500m freestyle final at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Nanterre, France, on Wednesday. On Thursday, she won the silver medal, bringing her medal total to thirteen, more than any other female swimmer in Olympic history.
Ashley Landis/AP
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Ashley Landis/AP
NANTERRE, France — U.S. swimmers won a gold medal at the Paris Olympics on Thursday, as young athletes from Australia and Canada took the lead in crucial races.
The most stunning moment of the night came at the end, when the Australian team, led by star Ariarne Titmus, dominated the United States in the 4 x 200m relay.
The Australian women’s team won gold and set a new Olympic record.
The U.S. never led in the game, but 27-year-old American star Katie Ledecky helped keep it going.
The silver medal was her 13th, making Ledecky the most decorated female swimmer in Olympic history.
The women’s 4x200m freestyle relay competes during the preliminary heats of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Nanterre, France on Thursday. Australia won the gold medal in the final and the United States won the silver medal.
Martin Meissner/AP
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Martin Meissner/AP
The U.S. women’s team won the silver medal and the Chinese team won the bronze medal.
“Happy to win a gold medal for Team USA”
Kate Douglass was the only standout on the U.S. team Thursday.
She performed well in the final leg of the 200-meter breaststroke Olympic final, setting a new American record in the event.
Kate Douglass, who won gold on Thursday, appeared after the women’s 200m breaststroke preliminaries on Wednesday. Her win brings Team USA’s gold medal tally to four.
Ashley Landis/AP
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Ashley Landis/AP
“I’m really excited to call myself an Olympic individual champion,” Douglas said after the game. “It’s really exciting to get a gold medal for Team USA and, you know, help count the medals.”
Douglas, 22, is one of the rising stars on a U.S. swimming team that has struggled at times in Paris.
She defeated Tatjana Smith of South Africa by a few tenths of a second. Tes Schouten of the Netherlands won the bronze medal.
It was the final individual Olympic event for American Lilly King, a 27-year-old two-time gold medalist who finished last in the event.
She announced that she would not attempt to return to the Los Angeles Summer Olympics in 2028.
“I think tonight is all about celebrating Kate and this amazing achievement,” King said.
“I was actually so far behind that I looked up and saw she was done,” Kim said with a laugh.
Canada’s Summer McIntosh wins another gold medal at the Paris Olympics. This time she won easily in Thursday’s women’s 200m butterfly final.
Matthias Schrader/AP
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Matthias Schrader/AP
Also on Thursday, Canadian star Summer McIntosh, who trains in the United States, won another gold medal in the women’s 200m butterfly final. Regan Smith of the United States won the silver medal.
Results so far disappoint U.S. swimmers U.S. swimmers remain confident after a stunning performance and a new record at last month’s national trials in Indianapolis.
But so far, while they regularly set personal bests, they haven’t been quick enough to beat emerging international talent.
These Olympics are not eliminated.
U.S. swimmers won a total of 20 medals, including four gold medals. But in a typical Summer Olympics, the United States’ strong team wins ten gold medals.
When asked about Team USA’s performance with three days left in the tournament, Douglas said the team remains confident.
“We’re proud of ourselves and proud of what we’ve done,” Douglas said after winning the gold medal. “We won’t listen to the noise from the outside and we will stick together.”
Chinese swimmer wins bronze but faces doubts
Chinese swimmers implicated in a doping scandal won two bronze medals on Thursday.
Zhang Yufei won the bronze medal in the women’s 200m butterfly final.
The Chinese athlete who tested positive for performance drugs in 2021 also shared a bronze medal in the women’s 4×200m freestyle relay final on Thursday.
When asked about the controversy at a post-race press conference, Chinese swimmers denied wrongdoing and said it was unfair that they were singled out for scrutiny.
The World Anti-Doping Agency admitted to keeping the results of a positive drug test secret, sparking a scandal that has prompted a criminal investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice.
