Former UMS-Wright standout Paige Madden swam a personal-best time to earn a bronze medal in the women’s 800-meter freestyle at the Paris Olympics on Saturday.

On Thursday, Madden had won a silver medal as part of the United States’ 4-by-200-meter freestyle relay team. She also won a silver medal in that event at the Tokyo Games.

The United States’ Katie Ledecky won the 800-meter free on Saturday, adding the gold at the Paris Olympics to her first-place finishes in the event at the Summer Games in London in 2012, Rio de Janeiro in 2016 and Toyko in 2021 – accounting for four of her nine career Olympic golds.

Ledecky won at Paris La Defense Arena in 8 minutes, 11.04 seconds on Saturday.

Australia’s Ariarne Titmus held off Madden for the silver medal at 8:12.29, with the Mobile native coming home in 8:13.00 – 1.55 seconds ahead of fourth place Simona Quadarella of Italy.

Madden came to Paris with a personal best in the 800-meter free of 8:20.7, then qualified from the heats on Friday with an 8:18.48 showing.

With Madden slicing more than 5 seconds off her Friday performance in the final, Ledecky is the only U.S. woman who has posted a faster time in the 800-meter free. Madden passed the best performances of Janet Evans, Leah Smith and Katie Grimes on the U.S. list with her Saturday swim.

Titmus won the women’s 400-meter free one week ago, with Madden finishing sixth in the race.

A City of Mobile Swim Association alumnus, Madden set seven Alabama High School Athletic Association records and was an 11-time state champion at UMS-Wright in the Port City.

At Virginia, Madden was a four-time NCAA champion.

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.