Katie Ledecky has done it again.
The record-breaking American swimmer took gold in the women’s 800-meter freestyle—her fourth consecutive Olympic gold medal in the event—on Saturday night. It marks the first time a woman has ever won four gold medals in the same event and brings Ledecky’s career total to nine Olympic gold medals, tying Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina for the most all-time by a female Olympian. She also becomes the fifth-most decorated Olympic athlete of all time with 14 total medals.
But a record she broke twelve years ago is one that Ledecky said has had major importance throughout her career. On Aug. 3, 2012, she won her very first Olympic gold medal at 15 years old.
“I didn’t want Aug. 3 to be a day I didn’t like moving forward,” Ledecky said, smiling. Asked how she knew this was the anniversary of the gold medal that changed her life, she said it’s a date that’s imprinted on her mind. “It’s almost like your birthday.”
“I definitely wouldn’t have pictured this in 2012, being able to come back Olympics after Olympics and be able to get the job done.”
Even with the pressure, mentioning the day “was going to be really hard,” the 27-year-old still got the job done—going faster than her winning time in Tokyo to finish in 8 minutes, 11.04 seconds. Australia’s Ariarne Titmus, who beat Ledecky in the 400 freestyle, settled for silver at 8:12.29. The bronze went to American Paige Madden at 8:13.00.
Michael Phelps had been the only swimmer to win the same event at four straight Olympics, taking gold in the 200-individual medley at Athens, Beijing, London, and Rio de Janeiro.
“Given that Michael is the only one that’s ever done that, I think that just shows how difficult that is to do—and especially an 800,” Ledecky said. “It’s just a lot of miles year after year, trying to put in the work to make it happen.”
Titmus added some perspective to Ledecky’s consistency over the last dozen years, noting where she was when the American won that first gold in London.
“I was in grade six in primary school,” Titmus said. “That’s how remarkable she is.”
“To think that eight years later, I challenged her into her fourth consecutive in the 800 is pretty cool,” Titmus said. “So I’m really proud of myself and I feel very honored and privileged to be her rival, and I hope I’ve made her a better athlete. She has certainly made me become the athlete I am. I felt so privileged to race alongside her.”