Katie Ledecky warms up Olympic journey with first US swimming medal

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United States women's swimming star Katie Ledecky was unable to secure gold in her first Olympic final, but she still landed on the podium. 

Ledecky earned a bronze medal, her first medal of these Olympic Games, as she finished the 400-meter women's freestyle in third place with a time of 4:00.86, which is well behind her own Olympic record of 3:56.46 she set in Rio de Janeiro in 2016. 

Ledecky collected her second bronze and 12th Olympic medal total with this finish.

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Katie Ledecky of Team USA competes in the Women's 400m Freestyle Heats on day one of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Paris La Defense Arena on July 27, 2024, in Nanterre, France.  (Jean Catuffe/Getty Images)

Instead of chasing her own record, Ledecky was trying to catch Australia’s Ariarne Titmus – the world record holder in the 400-meter freestyle at 3:55.38, which she set in 2023 – the entire race. 

Titmus earned her first gold medal in the pool at these Olympics, and fifth total medal of her career at the Games after posting a 3:57.49 final time. She defends her Olympic gold medal she secured in this event in Tokyo. 

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It was more than two seconds behind her world record pace, but she managed to stave off Canada’s Summer McIntosh, who kicked into an extra gear in the final 50 meters. 

Ariarne Titmus of Australia celebrates victory in the Women's 400m final during the Swimming Finals on day one of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Paris La Defense Arena on July 27, 2024, in Nanterre, France.  (Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images))

Titmus was well behind