Team USA’s Katie Ledecky poses after winning the women’s 1500-meter freestyle final Wednesday at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Nanterre, France. On Thursday she won silver, boosting her total medal count to thirteen, more than any other female swimmer in Olympic history.
Ashley Landis/AP
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NANTERRE, France — American swimmers managed to bring home a single gold medal on Thursday at the Paris Olympics, as young athletes from Australia and Canada powered ahead in key races.
Britain’s Benjamin Proud prepares to compete in a semifinal of the men’s 50m freestyle swimming event during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Paris La Defense Arena in Nanterre, west of Paris, on Wednesday.
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The most stunning moment of the night came at the end, when an Australian team led by star Ariarne Titmus dominated the U.S. in the 4-by-200 meter relay.
The Aussie women won gold and set a new Olympic record.
The U.S. never led in the race, but American star Katie Ledecky, age 27, helped keep it close.
The silver is her thirteenth medal — making Ledecky the most decorated woman swimmer in Olympic history.
Women compete in a preliminary heat of the 4×200-meter freestyle relay at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Nanterre, France. Australia won gold in the final, with the U.S. taking silver. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Women compete in a preliminary heat of the 4×200-meter freestyle relay at the 2024 Summer Olympics on Thursday in Nanterre, France. Australia won gold in the final, with the U.S. taking silver.
Martin Meissner/AP
The American women took silver, while China settled for bronze.
“Excited to get a gold for Team USA”
Kate Douglass was the lone standout for the U.S. on Thursday.
She powered through the final stretch of the 200-meter breaststroke Olympic final, setting a new American record in the event.
Kate Douglass, who won gold Thursday night, shown here after competing during in a preliminary heat in the women’s 200-meter breaststroke at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, July 31, 2024, in Nanterre, France. Her victory boosted the American gold medal count to four. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Kate Douglass, who won gold Thursday, shown here after a preliminary heat in the women’s 200-meter breaststroke on Wednesday. Her victory boosted the American gold medal count to four.
Ashley Landis/AP
“I’m really excited just to be able to call myself an individual Olympic champion,” Douglass said after the race. “Really excited to get a gold for Team USA and you know, help out that medal count.”
Douglass, age 22, is one of the rising stars on an American swim team that has struggled at times in Paris.
She held on by a fraction of a second to beat Tatjana Smith of South Africa. Tes Schouten of the Netherlands took bronze.
Adam Peaty, left, of Great Britain, tested positive for COVID on Monday morning Paris time, a day after he stood with Gold medalist Nicolo Martinenghi, center, of Italy, and dual silver medalist Nic Fink, of the the United States. The men competed in the 100-meter breaststroke final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, July 28, 2024, in Nanterre, France. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
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This was the final Olympic individual race for American Lilly King, age 27, a two-time gold medalist, who finished last in the event.
She’s announced that she won’t attempt to return JJin 2028 for the Los Angeles Summer Games.
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