And just like that … Katie Ledecky has become the most decorated American woman ever to grace the Olympics. After going beast mode in four separate Olympic outings, the swimmer took home her record-breaking 13th medal on Thursday as part of the women’s 4×200-meter freestyle relay. The team secured a silver medal, just behind the Australians. Per the Athletic, no other American woman has ever won more than 12 Olympic medals. No other female swimmers from any country can beat that medal count, either. That, as Jett might tell Pookie, is absolutely fire.
Since making her debut at the 2012 London Olympics as a teenager, Ledecky has cemented herself as one to watch — not just in swimming, but as one of the greatest athletes in the world, alongside the likes of Simone Biles. (Biles, for context, became the most decorated American gymnast in Olympic history on Tuesday with nine career medals.) The achievement comes on the heels of Wednesday’s women’s 1,500-meter freestyle, in which Ledecky took home her eighth gold medal and 12th overall medal, tying at the time with fellow Americans Jenny Thompson, Dara Torres, and Natalie Coughlin.
“I try not to think about history very much,” Ledecky told the Athletic. “I know those names, those people that I’m up with. They’re swimmers that I looked up to when I first started swimming. It’s an honor to be named among them. I’m grateful to them for inspiring me and so many great swimmers over the years in the U.S. that have helped me get to this moment.”
The best part? She’s not even done yet. Ledecky is slated for one last event: the women’s 800-meter freestyle on Saturday. If she wins a gold medal, she’d tie with Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina for the woman with the most gold medals in Olympic history. But if she’s proven anything over her Olympic career, the 27-year-old has got this in the bag. Are you having fun yet? We certainly are.