On Thursday, Katie Ledecky set yet another record when the women’s 4 x 200m freestyle relay team from Team USA took home the silver medal.
With 13 medals, the 27-year-old became the most decorated female swimmer in Olympic history. Her most recent victory ended a tie she had with Dara Torres, Jenny Thompson, and swimmer Natalie Coughlin.
In the demanding 1500m freestyle on Wednesday, the Maryland native claimed her eighth gold medal and her 12th overall. Ledecky tied Thompson for the most gold medals won by a female swimmer in Olympic history when she completed the event in an Olympic record time of 15:30.02.
Ledecky told reporters that she allowed her thoughts to roam and considered all the people who had contributed to her current situation as she was swimming.
“And during the race, I kind of let my mind wander, remembering everyone who has trained with me.” Was like thinking about them and chanting their names in my brain. I love you guys, my Florida crew—all those Florida boys who challenged me every day. I know I often make your life difficult, but you guys really made my life easy today. I really appreciate it.
The 27-year-old swimmer had another opportunity to increase her medal total on Thursday.
Ledecky, Claire Weinstein, Paige Madden, and Erin Gemmell represented Team USA in the 4 × 200m freestyle relay, finishing second behind Australia.
Ledecky became the most decorated American woman in Olympic history and the most decorated woman of any nation in swimming history with the team’s victory, which brought her 13 medals overall. She is only ahead of Michael Phelps, who has 28 medals.
Ledecky has one more chance to increase her medal total as swimming draws to a close. On Saturday, she’ll participate in the 800m freestyle.
Ledecky intends to qualify for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, despite the fact that this is her fourth Olympics overall, in Paris.
“Yes, my statement that I would love to compete in Los Angeles hasn’t changed over the last few months or years has been consistent.”
Katie, congratulations! You are history’s greatest.
Sir Tom Jones Tear-jerking Performance Joins D-Day Commemorations
The Normandy Landings, popularly referred to as “D-Day,” were a part of the Allied invasion of Normandy in World War II, and were celebrated for the eightieth time in June 2024. Numerous memorial services have been held in the weeks that have followed, leading up to a major event on June 6th at the British Normandy memorial in Ver-sur-Mer. Along with many other well-known people and politicians, Welsh singing icon Sir Tom Jones participated in the celebrations by passionately performing “I Won’t Crumble With You If You Fall.”
Even though it was performed as a tribute to Tom’s late wife Linda, the song turned out to be perfect for the D-Day event, giving the celebrations a heartfelt and somber tone. Tom sung of the “honor” he felt to be asked to perform at the event, and his passionate voice gave the song a lot of fire and emotion. “It is a momentous occasion that reminds us of the limitless sacrifices of that campaign,” he wrote on social media amid the beauty.
It was very breathtaking. And King Charles III and Queen Camilla greeted the twenty-three D-Day veterans in attendance. A military piper played on Gold Beach earlier in the day at precisely 7:26 a.m. to signal the start of the commemorations and the beginning of the invasions. Together with Tom Jones’s poignant vocal performance, all of these elements contributed to a powerful ceremony that honored the veterans of the Normandy Landings.
Before the D-Day commemorative ceremony, Tom sang this particular song live and brought many to tears in the audience. In 2022, he spontaneously performed “I Won’t Crumble When You Fall” during an episode of The Voice UK, in response to numerous enthusiastic requests from the audience. Tom’s strong voice reverberated throughout the room as he performed, bringing fellow judge and vocalist Anne-Marie to tears with only the piano providing accompaniment.
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