Ledecky becomes most decorated American woman with relay silver

NANTERRE, France (AP) — It wasn’t the medal Katie Ledecky would’ve preferred.

Still, it was good enough for the record books.

On a night when Canadian phenom Summer McIntosh romped to another victory and Kate Douglass claimed a gold for the Americans, Ledecky collected the 13th medal of her stellar career to become the most decorated woman in swimming history Thursday.

Ledecky and three American teammates took silver in the 4x200-meter freestyle relay, trailing an Australian squad led by individual gold medalists Mollie O’Callaghan and Ariarne Titmus.

“There’s always pressure, but I think we were just going out there to do the best we could and win a medal and whatever records come with that medal will come and that’s what happened,” said Erin Gemmell, who took the anchor leg after Ledecky went third.

In her next-to-last event of these Games, Ledecky broke the mark she shared with fellow Americans Dara Torres, Natalie Coughlin and Jenny Thompson. The 27-year-old now has eight golds, four silvers and one bronze over four Olympics, with every intention of swimming in Los Angeles in 2028.

Mollie O’Callaghan, the gold medalist in the 200 freestyle, started things off for the Australians, giving them a lead they never relinquished.

Lani Pallister and Briana Throssell kept the team from Down Under out front, even as Ledecky tried in vain to chase down Throssell on the third leg.

When Titmus dove in on the anchor leg with the lead, it was essentially over. The winner of the 400 freestyle and silver medalist in the 200 free finished in an Olympic record of 7:38.08.

Emma Gemmell held off China to give the U.S. the silver in 7:40.86. Claire Weinstein and Paige Madden rounded out the American squad.

Yang Junxuan, Li Bingjie, Ge Chutong and Liu Yaxin earned the bronze in 7:42.34.

Ledecky has one more event, the 800 freestyle. She’s the favorite for her fourth straight gold at that distance.