Who is Katie Ledecky?

Katie Ledecky is one of the most dominant professional swimmers of this generation. She represents the United States of America. In Tokyo Olympics 2020, Katie is competing in four individual events, the 200-, 400-, 800- and 1500-meter freestyle. She will also be on the USA’s 4×200-meter freestyle relay.

The 24-year-old swimmer is a five-time Olympic gold medalist. She is also the two-time defending Olympic champion in the 800-meter freestyle and the reigning champion in the 200 and 400 freestyles. Ledecky is one of the US’ strongest athletes in the tournament and is expected to take home golds in various categories.

Ledecky’s first breakthrough in international swimming was after her freshman year at Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart in Bethesda. There she set an Olympic trials record in the 800-meter freestyle and qualified for the 2012 London Games to become the youngest US contestant to make it to that category.

In her debutant Olympics, Ledecky, a 15-year-old at that time, won the gold medal in the women’s 800-meter freestyle.  

After the games, Ledecky set her first world record in the 800 metres and 1,500 metres swim at the 2013 Fédération Internationale de Natation (FINA) world championships.

In the 2016 Rio Olympics, Ledecky came home as 

she left as the most decorated female athlete with four gold medals, one silver medal, and two world records.

Ledecky’s total prominent international victories earned her 34 medals (28 golds, 5 silvers, and 1 bronze) spanning the Summer Olympics, World Championships, and Pan Pacific Championships. 

In her lustrous swimming career, Ledecky has broken 14 world records.  She was named Swimming World’s Female World Swimmer of the Year and Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year in 2017. Apart from this, she has also earned the title of United States Olympic Committee Female Athlete of the Year in 2013, 2016 and 2017, and Sportswoman of the Year by the Women’s Sports Foundation in 2017