Katie Ledecky is leaving no stone unturned as she fulfills her promise made months ago: “I would love to qualify in multiple events for Paris and bring home some medals.” As the most decorated female swimmer, Katie’s dominance in the pool is undeniable, with few ever challenging her tenacity. However, in recent years, she has encountered one particularly worthy opponent who has managed to keep her on her toes, in the form of Ariarne Titmus.

Ariarne, who arrived on the scene later than Katie, is three and a half years her junior and made a splash by winning four medals at her debut Olympic Games in Tokyo. She outpaced the legend from the 2019 World Championships in the 400m freestyle to their nail-biting 400m freestyle clash at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics and the 400m freestyle at the 2023 World Championships.

Ahead of the 2021 Olympics, Ariarne stated boldly, “I mean, obviously, everyone out there in women’s middle distance freestyle probably dreams of beating Katie. […] I thought maybe this year at the Olympics it would be, you know, a really great battle between us.” As Ariarne prepares for her second Olympics in Paris, the rivalry intensifies, with Katie qualifying for the 200 and 400 freestyle at the swim trials. However, Ledecky’s performance on day five at the Lucas Oil Stadium left no doubt about her superiority compared to the Aussie.

At the 2024 U.S. Olympic swim trials, Katie Ledecky delivered a performance for the ages in the women’s 1500m freestyle, setting the fastest time in the world this year and surpassing even her own lofty standards. In a sport where victory often hinges on mere tenths and hundredths of seconds, Ledecky’s dominance was nothing short of breathtaking. She clinched the 1500-meter free with a jaw-dropping lead of TWENTY SECONDS, finishing in 15:37.35. Despite this astounding feat, she remained 16 seconds shy of her own world record.

Reflecting on her unparalleled dominance, Yanyan Li noted on X, “Classic Katie Ledecky: she wins the 1500 freestyle by 20 seconds, in a time faster than any woman has ever gone (15:37.35). She thinks she could have been faster, though. As expected, Katie Grimes takes second to her. No one else is close.”

Katie Ledecky’s resounding victory secures her spot as an Olympic qualifier and sends a clear message to her competitors, including her longtime rival in the pool, Ariarne Titmus. Titmus, whose best time in the 1500m freestyle stands at 16:09.87, finds herself trailing Ledecky by over a minute—a stark reminder of the formidable challenge ahead.

Furthermore, Katie Ledecky’s supremacy in the women’s 1500m freestyle event is underscored by the fact that she holds all 18 spots on the list of “WOMEN’S 1500M FREESTYLE ALL-TIME FASTEST TIMES.” This goes to show that, over the long course, Katie Ledecky’s only rival is herself. As we reflect on her continued dominance and her third consecutive win at the 2024 Swim Trials on Wednesday night, let’s also consider Katie Ledecky’s medal goals for the Paris Olympics.

How many medals could Katie Ledecky potentially win at the Paris Olympics, and how does Ariarne Titmus still have an edge?

As we look ahead to the Paris Olympics, Katie Ledecky is wrapping up her trials with one event left: the 800 freestyle coming up on Saturday. She’s already secured spots in the 400 freestyle, where she qualified last Saturday, and the 200 freestyle, which she won on Monday with a time of 1:55.22. However, it seems likely she’ll give up her spot in the 200 to focus on her strongest races: the 400, 800, and 1500 freestyle events. She’ll also be competing in the 4 x 200 relay, an event where she’s proven her grit.

Despite qualifying in the 200 and 400 freestyles, Ledecky isn’t necessarily the favorite for gold in the 400. That honor currently leans towards Ariarne Titmus. The Aussie has consistently edged out Ledecky in this race, is the current Olympic champion in the 200m and 400m freestyle and even set a new world record in the 200m freestyle with an impressive time of 1:52.23 during the Australian trials.

She’s also reclaimed the world record in the 400-meter freestyle, clocking 3:55.38 at the 2023 World Championships. Canadian sensation Summer McIntosh, who briefly held the 400-meter world record last year, adds another layer of competition to Ledecky’s path. As Katie Ledecky gears up for the 800m on Saturday, her quest for three medals in Paris is shining brightly as she aims to solidify her place as the top female Olympic swimmer and one of the greatest Olympic athletes of all time. What are your thoughts on her incredible performance in the 1,500-meter freestyle at the swim trials? Share in the comments below!