Ledecky wins record 13th medal with a silver. Summer McIntosh and Kate Douglass strike gold

NANTERRE, France (AP) — It wasn't the medal Katie Ledecky would've preferred.

Still, it was good enough for the record books.

On a night when Canadian phenom Summer McIntosh romped to another victory and Kate Douglass claimed a gold for the Americans, Ledecky collected the 13th medal of her stellar career to become the most decorated woman in swimming history Thursday.

Ledecky and three American teammates took silver in the 4x200-meter freestyle relay, trailing an Australian squad led by individual gold medalists Mollie O'Callaghan and Ariarne Titmus.

“I’ve tried not to really think about it, just taking it one event at a time and know I have challenges in each of my events,” Ledecky said after returning to the pool Friday for the prelimnaries of the 800 freestyle, her final event. “When all of a sudden it's done, I’ll enjoy it.”

In her next-to-last event of these games, Ledecky broke the mark she shared with fellow Americans Dara Torres, Natalie Coughlin and Jenny Thompson. The 27-year-old now has eight golds, four silvers and one bronze over four Olympics, with every intention of swimming on to Los Angeles in 2028.

McIntosh cruised to victory in the 200 butterfly, dealing American Regan Smith a familiar silver-medal finish.

But Douglass put the U.S. on the top of the podium in the 200 breaststroke, a race that essentially served as a changing of the guard.

Longtime American star Lilly King, competing in her final Olympics, finished last in the final. She made her way over several lane ropes to give a hug to Douglass, one of the world's most versatile swimmers and now a gold medalist.

It was the fourth swimming gold for the world's most dominant swimming nation, to go along with 10 silver medals and six bronzes.

No other American woman has more Olympic medals than Ledecky. Only four athletes rank higher on the overall list, which is led by Michael Phelps with 28.

O'Callaghan, gold medalist in the 200 freestyle, started things off for the Australians, giving them a lead they never relinquished.

Lani Pallister and Briana Throssell kept the team from Down Under out front, even as Ledecky tried in vain to chase down Throssell on the third leg.

When Titmus dove in on the anchor leg with the lead, it was essentially over. The winner of the 400 freestyle and silver medalist in the 200 free finished in an Olympic record of 7:38.08.

Erin Gemmell held off China to give the U.S. the silver in 7:40.86. Claire Weinstein and Paige Madden rounded out the American squad.

Yang Junxuan, Li Bingjie, Ge Chutong and Liu Yaxin earned the bronze in 7:42.34.

Ledecky is the favorite in the 800, an event she has won at the last three Olympics. Phelps is the only swimmer to win the same event at four straight Summer Games.

China's Zhang Yufei, the reigning Olympic champion and of nearly two dozen swimmers from her country who tested positive for a banned substance ahead of the Tokyo Games but were allowed to compete, pushed the pace in the 200 fly over the first half of the race.

No way she was holding off McIntosh, though.

The 17-year-old powered to the lead on the third 50 and left no doubt on the closing lap. She touched in an Olympic-record of 2:03.03.

Smith passed Zhang as well, but had no chance of chasing down the youngster who has established herself as one of the biggest stars at La Defense Arena.

McIntosh opened the games with a silver medal in the 400 freestyle, finishing ahead of Katie Ledecky, and blew away the field in the 400 individual medley.

This was another rout. Smith touched in 2:03.84 for the fourth silver medal of her career, which has yet to produce a gold. Zhang held on for the bronze in 2:05.09.

Douglass, who won a bronze in the 200 individual medley at Tokyo, now has a complete collection.

She started the Paris Games by helping the Americans win silver in 4x100 freestyle relay.

She grabbed the best color of all Thursday.

Douglass claimed the lead on the second of four laps and held off South Africa's Tatjana Smith to win in 2:19.24.

Smith, who took gold in the 100 breaststroke, settled for a silver in 2:19.60, in what she said afterward was her last race. The bronze went to Tes Schouten (2:21.05) of the Netherlands.

King, the winner of five medals including two golds at the last two Olympics, failed to claim an individual prize in her Olympic farewell. She tied for fourth in the 100 breaststroke and finished more than 6 1/2 seconds behind Douglass in the 200.

Douglass has a chance to pick up another medal in the 200 IM.

Hungary’s Hubert Kós claimed gold in the 200 backstroke, another triumph for a swimmer coached by Bob Bowman.

Kós rallied on the final lap to pass Greece’s Apostolos Christou. The winner finished in 1:54.26, while Christou held on for the silver in 1:54.82. The bronze went to Roman Mityukov of Switzerland in 1:54.85.

Bowman coached Kós at Arizona State University, where he competed alongside the biggest swimming star of these games, France’s Léon Marchand.

Bowman now heads the program at the University of Texas, and Kós has transferred to join him.

Kós praised Bowman, best known as Michael Phelps’ coach, for pushing him to new heights.

“It’s been an incredible journey with him, and I’m just to happy be part of a team like that,” Kós said. “The magic touch is the work. He doesn’t let us be second best. He doesn’t let us stoop down to a level he doesn’t want from us. That brings out the best in us.”

Marchand set himself up for another gold-medal run, posting the fastest time (1:56.31) in the semifinals of the men's 200 individual medley.

Already the winner of three gold medals, the French star is a big favorite to make it four in a row in the final Friday of his last individual event.

American Carson Foster posted the second-fastest time (1:56.37).

After a close call in the morning preliminaries, American Caeleb Dressel will get a chance to defend his Olympic title in the 50 freestyle Friday night.

Dressel posted the fifth-fastest time in the evening semifinals (21.58) Thursday on the heels of tying for 13th in the heats. Benjamin Proud of Britain and Cameron McEvoy of Australia shared the top spot in swimming's most chaotic race — an all-out dash from one end of the pool to the other — at 21.38.

AP Summer Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games

Summer McIntosh, of Canada, celebrates with the gold medal during the awards ceremony for the women's 200-meter butterfly at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Nanterre, France, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Leon Marchand, of France, competes in a heat of the men's 200-meter individual medley at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Nanterre, France. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Katie Ledecky, of the United States, left, greets teammate Erin Gemmell at the end of the women's 4x200-meter freestyle relay final at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Nanterre, France, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Katie Ledecky, of United States, sits on the pool deck with teammates during the women's 4x200-meter freestyle relay final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Nanterre, France. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Australia's Ariane Titmus celebrates after the Australian women's 4x200-meter freestyle relay team won a gold medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Nanterre, France. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)

Kate Douglass, of the United States, celebrates after winning the women's 200-meter breaststroke final at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Nanterre, France, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

United States' women's 4x200-meter freestyle relay team pose with their silver medals at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Nanterre, France. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Summer McIntosh, center, of Canada, stands on the podium with silver medal winner Regan Smith, left, of the United States, and bronze medal winner Yufei Zhang, of China, following the women's 200-meter butterfly final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Nanterre, France. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Caelab Dressel, of the United States, gets ready to compete in a men's 50-meter freestyle semifinal at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Nanterre, France, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Hubert Kos, of Hungary, competes in the men's 200-meter backstroke final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Nanterre, France. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Hubert Kos, of Hungary, celebrates winning the men's 200-meter backstroke final at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Nanterre, France, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Hubert Kos, of Hungary, celebrates winning the men's 200-meter backstroke final at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Nanterre, France, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Hubert Kos, of Hungary, celebrates after winning the men's 200-meter backstroke final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Nanterre, France. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Kate Douglass, right, of the United States, is congratulated by Tatjana Smith, of South Africa, after winning the women's 200-meter breaststroke final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Nanterre, France. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Regan Smith, of the United States, competes in the women's 200-meter butterfly final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Nanterre, France. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Tatjana Smith, of South Africa, from left, Kate Douglass, of the United States, and Tes Schouten, of the Netherlands, celebrate after the women's 200-meter breaststroke final at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Nanterre, France, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Summer McIntosh, right, of Canada, is congratulated buy Regan Smith, of the United States, after winning the women's 200-meter butterfly final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Nanterre, France. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)

Summer McIntosh, of Canada, competes in the women's 200-meter butterfly final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Nanterre, France. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Summer McIntosh, of Canada, reacts after winning the women's 200-meter butterfly final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Nanterre, France. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Summer McIntosh, right, of Canada, is congratulated by Regan Smith, of the United States, after winning the women's 200-meter butterfly final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Nanterre, France. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Kate Douglass, of the United States, competes in the women's 200-meter breaststroke final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Nanterre, France. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Kate Douglass, right, of the United States, is congratulated by teammate Lilly King after winning the women's 200-meter breaststroke final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Nanterre, France. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Summer McIntosh, of Canada, competes in the women's 200-meter butterfly final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Nanterre, France. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

For Christians around the world, Christmas is the joyful celebration of the birth of Jesus. To affirm their beliefs — that God is present and hasn’t abandoned them — the faith community at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin, is embracing its holiday traditions just days after a deadly shooting there.

“When people say, ‘Where is your God?’ He is more evident now than he’s ever been to us,” the Rev. Sarah Karlen told The Associated Press. “I’m sure the phrase ‘Prince of Peace’ and ‘God with us’ is going to be leaned into a little more this year.”

Karlen is a pastor at City Church, which in the late 1970s founded the school where she’s also the theater teacher. On Saturday, in the same space decorated with festive trees where students had performed their Christmas concert just the previous week, the church held the funeral of a 14-year-old student, Rubi Patricia Vergara. She was killed Monday when another student opened fire, also killing a teacher and wounding several others at the school on the same campus.

“When we say that God is with us, especially here at Christmas time — when we say, you know, Emmanuel ‘God with us,’ that he came to Earth to be with us — I know beyond a shadow of a doubt each and every one of us here at City Church would say that in a very new way,” Karlen added.

Decked in holiday light displays and a Nativity scene, the evangelical, nondenominational church with over 1,200 members also hosted a vigil service Tuesday.

Then, drawing from Scripture and particularly the Book of Job, pastors addressed the challenge of reconciling faith in a loving God with his allowing great suffering to occur.

Karlen also challenged some of the taunts on the school’s social media that questioned its religious beliefs. To the assembly’s applause, she repeatedly affirmed God’s presence in the midst of the grieving and the weariness.

“None of us on our staff are saying that we understand why or how something happened. But we do understand that God sees us, sees things very differently than we do,” Karlen said later.

Police are continuing to investigate why Natalie “Samantha” Rupnow, 15, attacked the school before fatally shooting herself. While dozens of school shootings have happened across the U.S. in recent years, the vast majority are carried out by teenage boys and young men.

Barbara Wiers said faith is helping teachers, students and families make peace with the possibility they will never have complete answers.

“There may never be sense made out of this senseless tragedy. But. God, right? God understands, and God was there, and God is still here,” said Wiers, the school’s director for elementary education and communications. “Ultimately, it’s not about man’s judgment, although there’s going to be all of that — because of the legal system and how that plays out. But God’s just judgment will reign. And we trust him for that.”

The school remains closed as staff work to repair the physical damage so that it won’t retraumatize teachers and students immediately upon their return, Wiers said. Safety and wellness protocols are also being reviewed.

But on Christmas Eve, City Church plans to hold caroling and candlelight services, hoping that the community will draw comfort from the familiar traditions.

“We know this is a long road for all of us, but the start is to be in the presence of God with one another, and to hug one another, and to sing together, to pray together,” Karlen said.

Other churches affiliated with the school, as well as the broader community in Madison, quickly came together to help, from alumni starting food drives to evangelical ministries sending chaplains to pastors sitting up with those hospitalized.

“Healing will come slowly, but they will not be left alone,” said the Rev. Kerri Parker, executive director of the Wisconsin Council of Churches, whose member organizations include about 2,000 churches and 1 million Christians.

At Saturday's funeral, Vergara's uncle, Andy Remus, said the family has “no bitterness or unforgiveness" toward the Rupnows. He urged the school to continue its mission to teach Christian values and praised the community's response.

“For every person that says, ‘Where is your God now?’ There are 10,000 good, caring people in Madison,” Remus said, his voice breaking.

Abundant Life Christian School is part of Impact Christian Schools, a network of private educational institutions that welcome families regardless of their creed, said Impact’s executive director Chuck Moore.

Moore said he hoped the shooting’s occurrence so close to the holidays wouldn’t forever tie Christmas with tragedy for the community.

“Even in the midst of awful, it’s still a time we can rejoice,” Moore said. “We can focus our celebration on who Christ is.”

Already teachers at the school have talked about Jesus and faith in “every classroom, every subject, all day long, because God isn’t siloed to Sunday,” Wiers said. And that focus will continue when the school reopens sometime in January.

“We’re changed. Our family is changed. But God hasn’t changed. He didn’t move. He hasn’t been altered at all,” Wiers said. “And the message hasn’t changed. God is good. God is good all the time. He is faithful and he is true. And while we are brokenhearted, he’s going to walk us through this.”

In the last prayer before leaving the church for the cemetery on Saturday, City Church's lead pastor also urged the community to let God's comfort and promise of eternal life break through the crushing pain.

“There is a heaven, don’t let your heart be troubled," the Rev. Tom Flaherty said. "This is not all there is, folks.”

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

Supporters hold candles during a candlelight vigil Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024, outside the Wisconsin Capitol in Madison, Wis., following a shooting at the Abundant Life Christian School on Monday, Dec. 16. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)