With a time of 15 minutes 30.02 seconds, she was more than 10 seconds ahead of France's Anastasiia Kirpichnikova, while Germany's Isabel Gose won bronze.

Ledecky came out all guns blazing and had a one-length lead at 100m. Her lead grew to five seconds by the halfway point.

Recognised as a long-distance swimmer, Ledecky, 27, has set the last six world records and the 20 fastest times ever swum. She is set to face a new generation of emerging talent eager to challenge her dominance.

The American has the chance to become the first athlete to win the same Olympic event four times in a row in the 800-meter freestyle. Her achievement would further elevate an already illustrious career that boasts 10 Olympic medals, including seven golds, and 16 individual world titles, one more than the legendary Michael Phelps.

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Ledecky becomes the ninth American swimmer to qualify for at least four Olympic teams, a remarkable journey that began with a sensational win in the 800m freestyle at just 15 years old at London 2012.

This is her eighth Olympic gold and 12th medal, after taking bronze in the 400m freestyle behind Australia's Ariarne Titmus, who had a spectacular race to live up to her Terminator nickname. Ledecky will also swim the 800m in Paris, where Titmus will stand in her way of a fourth consecutive title.

She beat Ledecky in a thrilling final in Tokyo then broke the American's long-standing world record in 2022, only for McIntosh to better the mark last year. The Australian hit back to reclaim the world record months later with the clash between the three shaping as a blockbuster. She has swum nearly three seconds faster than Ledecky this year and almost four seconds better than McIntosh. Ledecky, however, is the undisputed 800m queen and will be gunning for a fourth straight Olympic gold.