The GOATs win gold: Biles and Ledecky break records in Paris
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By water and land (and often air), Katie Ledecky and Simone Biles have cemented their status as the G.O.A.T.s of their sports in Paris.
The big picture: Ledecky won her fourteenth medal, a gold, on Saturday in the 800-meter freestyle and extended her record as the most-decorated female American Olympian in history.
- Ledecky's achievement comes after she won gold in the 1,500-meter free, her signature event, silver in the women's 4x200-meter relay and bronze in the 400-meter freestyle.
Driving the news: With nine gold medals across her career, Ledecky is tied with Russian gymnast Larisa Latynina for the most won by a woman in any sport. Only three men, American swimmer Mark Spitz, American track star Carl Lewis and Finnish runner Paavo Nurmi have done the same.
- Biles won three gold medals at the Paris Games, with Team USA in the women's gymnastics event final, the women's all-around competition and vault finals. Seven of her 11 Olympic medals are gold.
- Biles captured the silver medal in the women's floor exercise on Monday and placed fifth in the beam exercise. If she had won gold in both events, she stood to tie Ledecky and Latynina for the most gold medals for a female athlete. She has the most gold medals of any U.S. gymnast.
Suni Lee, another Team USA gymnast, added to her medal total on Sunday as she earned bronze in the uneven bars event final.
- Lee has six medals across the Paris and Tokyo Olympics. Two golds, three bronze and one silver.
- Lee is now tied with gymnast Aly Raisman for third-most medals by a female American gymnast.
Zoom out: Retired swimmer Michael Phelps, who has hung up his swim cap for a commentator's headset, holds the record for the most gold (23) and total (28) medals won by an Olympic athlete.
Go deeper: Must-watch Olympic athletes and events
Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional developments.
