Ledecky Wins Gold In First 1,500 Meter Free In Olympic History

BETHESDA, MD — Katie Ledecky won the inaugural gold medal in the women's 1,500 meter freestyle Monday night, making it the sixth gold of her career as an Olympian.

She finished the race in 15 minutes and 37.34 seconds, with teammate Erica Sullivan coming in just over 4 seconds behind her to snag the gold.

Ledecky suffered her first and second individual Olympic losses this week, winning the silver in the 400 meter and not making the podium in the 200 meter freestyle. She had bounced back Monday morning after her 400 meter loss, winning her heat in the 200 meter freestyle semi-finals and setting an Olympic record in the semi-final for the 1,500 meter freestyle. Australia's Ariarne Titmus won both the 400 meter and 200 meter freestyle.

"I just wanted to get the job done tonight," Ledecky told NBC after her 1,500 meter final race. "It's tough after the 200, but I really just moved the page forward, moved on, and really got my mindset right."

The 24-year-old Stanford graduate said after the win how happy she is for her teammate, Sullivan, a 21-year-old competing in her first Olympic Games.

"There was a point where I saw Katie ahead of me and she was the only one," said Sullivan. "It really gave me the energy — you know having someone you look up to for years, and seeing them a few, or several meters in front of you, and using it to get home."

That wasn't the first time this week someone has credited their success to trying to swim like Ledecky. After Titmus won the gold in the 400 meter freestyle, she told reporters she looked up to Ledecky.

"I wouldn't be here without her," Titmus said about Ledecky to reporters after the race. "She's set this amazing standard for distance freestyle for girls. And if I didn't have someone like her to chase, I definitely wouldn't be swimming the way I am."

Ledecky 2020 Olympic Games aren't over yet — she still has the 800 meter freestyle heats on Thursday,the 800 meter freestyle final on Friday and the 4 x 200 meter freestyle relay Wednesday night.