Katie Ledecky ties Michael Phelps for most individual swimming world championship gold medals
Katie Ledecky inched closer to history Tuesday.
The 26-year-old tied fellow American swimmer Michael Phelps for the most individual world championship gold medals in swimming when she won the 1,500-meter women's freestyle in Fukuoka, Japan.
She cruised to her 15th title in true Ledecky fashion: Her time of 15:26.27 was 17 seconds faster than silver medalist Simona Quadarella. That mark is third all-time in the event behind two other Ledecky races — she holds the top 16 times in this event, too.
THAT'S KATIE LEDECKY!@katieledecky is the first person to win five world titles in two different events AND she ties Michael Phelps for the most individual world golds in swimming (15).
And she won this 1500m free world title by 17 seconds. 🤯 #AQUAFukuoka23 pic.twitter.com/y6WeHj99IJ— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) July 25, 2023
Ledecky will have a chance to break Phelps' record Saturday in the 800-meter freestyle final.
“I’m just really enjoying swimming right now, especially my distance events, I’ve just been feeling great,” Ledecky said, per NBC. “I feel like I’m getting better each time I swim them. That’s what you love to see. You love to see improvement, and that’s been my biggest goal over the last couple of years.”
In total, Ledecky has five world titles in each of the 800 and 1,500 frees, four in the 400 and one in the 200-meter. She also has six individual Olympic gold medals. If you include her relays, Ledecky has 24 world championships medals and 20 gold medals — both of which are records for women but trail Phelps' overall record of 33 medals and 26 golds.
Phelps also has the world record for more Olympic gold medals with 23.
