Paris Perseverance Queens: The Midas Touch Of Ledecky, Sjöström & Van Rouwendaal
SOS Awards 2024: a celebration of the women who excelled in Paris at least two Olympic cycles after they first made the top of the podium, American great Katie Ledecky leading the way as founder member of the female Quad Club with every 800m freestyle title since 2012
The Olympic pool in Paris was graced by a royalty of long-reigning freestyle queens led by Katie Ledecky, with Sarah Sjöström and Sharon Van Rouwendaal completing the sorority of swimmers who added more gold to their armouries eight years after soaring success at Rio 2016.
Only the 200 and 400m freestyle escaped them, courtesy of the respective victories of Australians Mollie O'Callaghan and Ariarne Titmus. The 50 and 100m crowns went to Sjöstrom for Sweden, the 800 and 1500m to Ledecky for the USA and the marathon to Van Rouwendaal for the Netherlands.
Here follows a tribute to them and recognition for other women who made the podium, several as relay champions anew, in Paris two Games after success at Rio 2016 or at Olympic Youth/World Junior-Championship levels in solo events eight or more years ago.
