Ledecky, 27, has reigned in the event, then, for more than half her life. In winning her first gold in Paris and her 12th Olympic medal overall — tied for the most by an American female swimmer with Jenny Thompson — she reaffirmed her credentials in one of sports’ more exclusive clubs: Were the swimmers with the 20 fastest times in the 1,500 to all gather at the pool, Ledecky would be racing alone, which, to be fair, is what it looks like on television.

---

Persons: Jenny Thompson — Locations: Paris, American