Paris, France —Day five of the Paris Olympics was headlined by American swimmer, Katie Ledecky. At the ripe old age of 27, she’s considered one of swimming's all-time greats. She backed up her reputation Wednesday with a record-breaking performance.
Ledecky added to her Olympic legacy by setting a new Olympic record in the 1500-meter freestyle competition. Wednesday's victory gives Ledecky her eighth Olympic gold medal, tying her for most in women's swimming history. Ledecky says she plans on continuing this trend in Los Angeles during the 2028 Summer Games, which means retirement is nowhere in her immediate plans.
The Triathlon Finally Underway
One of the more unique headlines heading into day five was the status of The Seine River. Heavy rains in Paris, last week increased the bacteria levels in The Seine River. As a result, Tuesday's triathlon competition was postponed due to safety concerns.
But around three o'clock Wednesday morning, the latest test results revealed the river's water quality met compliance standards allowing The Olympics to move forward with the triathlon. Fortunately, there were no serious incidents concerning Wednesday's competition.
Cassandre Beaugrand of France won the gold medal in the women's triathlon. Alex Yee of Britain claimed the gold medal in the men's triathlon.
Another Day Another Record For LeBron
Meanwhile King James has already claimed The NBA's All-Time Leading Scoring crown. On Wednesday, he notched an Olympics scoring record. LeBron James just crossed the 300-point scoring threshold for baskets at The Games. He joins two other Americans in that club - Carmello Anthony and teammate Kevin Durant, who has over 430 points. The U.S. Men's Basketball Team beat South Sudan 103 - 86, clinching a spot in Saturday's quarterfinals.
Team USA is on pace to rack up the most medals during The Paris Olympics. Through the first five days, Team USA has collected 30 total medals. However, The Americans would like to see some more gold soon. The U.S. currently sits in seventh place with five gold medals. China currently leads the 2024 Olympics with nine gold medals.
Plenty of time for that to change. Eighteen gold medals are up for the taking on Thursday. U.S. gymnast Simone Biles will compete in the Women's Individual All-Around competition. Also, Katie Ledecky will swim in the Women's 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay.
Desmond Purnell
