Exactly 12 years have passed between Katie Ledecky’s first gold medal and the ninth one she picked up on Saturday, but the star American swimmer is still stunning the world all the same. 

Once an up-and-coming 15-year-old girl who shockingly triumphed in the 800-meter freestyle at the 2012 London Games, Ledecky is now the pinnacle of women’s swimming at 27.

She cruised to victory in the same event to further uphold her newly earned title as the most decorated American female Olympian during the 2024 Paris Games. 

Posting a time of 8:11:04, Ledecky outswam Australia’s Ariarne Titmus (8:12:29, silver) and fellow American Paige Madden (8:13.00, bronze) to become a four-time winner of the Olympic event.

She is just the second swimmer to ever win the same discipline at four consecutive Olympic games, joining fellow star American swimmer Michael Phelps. 

It was Ledecky’s final race in Paris, where she finished with two gold medals, one silver and one bronze. 

Ledecky’s career medal total now sits at 14.

After expressing interest in continuing to compete, however, that number could increase at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.