swimmer Katharine Berkoff wins the same medal: Just now, one Olympian took up her father’s medal-winning legacy.
On Tuesday, July 30, Katharine Berkoff, a swimmer for Team USA, not only won the bronze medal in the women’s 100-meter backstroke, but she also took home the same trophy that her father, David Berkoff, had won 32 years prior.
In the 100-meter backstroke, Katharine’s father, David, who is currently 57, finished third at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona. David won the gold in the 4 x 100-meter medley relay that same year as well.
David also participated in the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea, where he won gold in the 4 x 100-meter medley relay and finished second in the 100-meter backstroke.
In her individual event final on Tuesday, Berkoff, 23, came in third place with a time of 57.89 seconds. Regan Smith, her colleague, finished second with 57.66 seconds behind her. At the U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials in June, Smith finished the event in 57.13 seconds, shattering the previous world record.
With a time of 57.33 seconds, reigning Olympic champion Kaylee McKeown once again took home the gold.
Smith and Berkohoff’s victories, meanwhile, gave Team USA its 600th Olympic medal in swimming and a cumulative total of 3,000 Olympic medals in all sports.
Berkoff sent a heartfelt statement on Instagram to commemorate the victory. I am overjoyed that last night I was able to win another medal for Team USA. I am incredibly appreciative of my social circle,” remarked Berkoff. “I want to thank everyone for supporting me along the way.
After Team USA’s victories on Tuesday, Katie Ledecky won the 1500-meter freestyle competition on Wednesday, July 31. Ledecky won the race in 15:30.02, defeating Anastasiia Kirpichnikova of France, who took home the silver medal in 15:40.35.
This was Ledecky’s second victory in the competition, which debuted at the Tokyo Olympics in 2020. After that race, Ledecky finished in 15:35.35.
With eight gold medals, Ledecky, 27, is currently tied with fellow American Jenny Thompson for the most by a female swimmer in Olympic history. Both of them share the record for the most Olympic medals won by a female swimmer with twelve. As of right now, Ledecky has won eight gold medals, three silver, and one bronze.
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