Katie Ledecky blitzed the field to retain her 1,500 metres freestyle title at the Paris Olympics on Wednesday, the American iron-woman securing a record-equalling eighth gold medal in the sport.

World record holder Ledecky blew away the field in the gruelling, 30-lap race at La Defense Arena, touching the wall in an Olympic record time of 15.30.02, more than 10 seconds ahead of France’s silver medallist Anastasiia Kirpichnikova. Germany’s Isabel Gose took bronze.

Ledecky now shares the record for most Olympic gold medals in women’s swimming with American Jenny Thompson, who won eight relay titles over three Olympics from 1992-2000.

Ledecky’s collection of Olympic medals now equals the all-time record of 12 in women’s swimming shared by Thompson, Americans Dara Torres and Natalie Coughlin, and Australian Emma McKeon.

Evergreen Swede Sarah Sjostrom’s late decision to enter the women’s 100 metres freestyle paid off as she trumped a top-quality field to clinch the gold medal on Wednesday. “I didn’t think I would swim the 100 free,” she told reporters after reeling in American silver medallist Torri Huske and Hong Kong’s bronze-winner Siobhan Haughey.

The world record holder showed she still has what it takes as she swept to her second gold medal at the age of 30, eight years after winning the 100m butterfly in Rio.

Kaylee rules

When it’s time to race, Kaylee McKeown is sure hard to beat. American Regan Smith came into the women’s 100-meter backstroke here with the world record and no shortage of confidence. At the turn on Tuesday night, it was Smith in the lead with McKeown right on her heels. By the time they reached the other end of the pool, it was the Australian lunging there first. McKeown still rules the backstroke.

Smith, who broke McKeown’s world mark with a time of 57.13 seconds at the US trials last month, led at the turn but couldn’t hold off the hard-charging Aussie, who defended the title she won in Tokyo three years ago.

McKeown surged to the front about halfway through the return lap and reached for the wall in 57.33, winning by a relatively comfortable margin over Smith’s finish of 57.66. “The nerves were definitely there but I just reminded myself it’s a pool in a different venue, and I train every single day of my life,” McKeown said.

The US also grabbed the bronze as Katharine Berkoff touched third in 57.98, capturing her first Olympic medal and following in the footsteps of her father, David Berkoff, who won four medals — two of them gold.

McKeown captured her fourth gold overall. She swept the backstroke events in Tokyo and also claimed a relay gold.

Irish gold

Through four days at La Defense Arena, the mighty US have won a bunch of medals — 15 in all — but only two of them are gold. Seven silvers and six bronzes round out the tally. The Americans reached the medal podium in all three events on Tuesday night, but each time the gold went to someone else.

Smith fell to McKeown. It was more of the same in the men’s 800 freestyle, where defending Olympic champion Bobby Finke came up just short. Ireland’s Daniel Wiffen captured his country’s first swimming gold medal since 1996. “I’d be lying If I said I wasn’t disappointed,” Finke said. “I was the first loser. It always stings to not be able to defend your title.”

In the final event of the night, the Americans claimed yet another silver in the men’s 4x200 freestyle relay, with Britain winning its second straight Olympic gold in that event.

While the Americans have nearly twice as many medals as any other nation, they trail rivals Australia in the race for shiniest color. The swimmers from Down Under have four victories and eight medals overall.

AP/PTI, Reuters