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Katie Ledecky warms up Olympic journey with first US swimming medal

July 27, 2024

U.S. women’s swimming star Katie Ledecky didn’t win the gold medal in her first Olympic final, but she still made it onto the podium.

Ledecky placed third in the 400m freestyle in 4:00.86, winning her first Olympic medal of the year, bronze, well below her own Olympic record of 3:56.46, set in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.

Ledecky won her first bronze medal and her 11th Olympic medal overall.

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Team USA’s Katie Ledecky competes in the women’s 400m freestyle qualifying event during the first day of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at Paris-La Defense Arena in Nanterre, France on July 27, 2024. (Jean Katuf/Getty Images)

Rather than chasing her own record, Ledecky spent the entire race trying to catch up with Ariarne Titmus of Australia, who holds the 2023 400m freestyle world record of 3 minutes 55.38 seconds.

Titmuss won her first Olympic gold medal in the pool with a final time of 3 minutes 57.49 seconds to claim her fifth Olympic medal overall and will defend her Olympic gold medal in the event in Tokyo.

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That was more than two seconds slower than her world record pace, but she managed to hold off Summer McIntosh of Canada, who stepped up her game in the final 50 meters.

Ariane Titmus of Australia celebrates her victory in the women’s 400m final during the swimming finals on the first day of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Paris-La Defense Arena in Nanterre, France on July 27, 2024. (Bradley Canalis/Getty Images)

Titmuss was well off the world record pace but maintained a steady speed as he made his way up the final wall for the gold medal, and McIntosh put in a tough effort, finishing in 3:58.37 to take the silver medal.

McIntosh’s performance secured Canada’s first medal at Paris 2024, but her success may not end there, as the world record holder in the 400m individual medley is set to continue competing at this Games.

For Ledecky, this is just the beginning of her Olympic journey in Paris, with the 27-year-old still having three events left to compete in.

Ledecky will compete alongside her U.S. teammates in the 800-meter freestyle, 1,500-meter freestyle and 4 x 200-meter freestyle relay.

Already considered one of the greatest swimmers of all time, Ledecky is looking to further her resume here in Paris, and she’ll do so with another Olympic medal.