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Michael Phelps is almost synonymous with Olympic swimming. However, billed as his female counterpart, Katie Ledecky is arguably the best swimmer in the world.
The sensation entered the world of swimming at a very young age and hasn’t looked back. Ledecky currently holds six Olympic individual gold medals, putting her at the top of the best female swimmers’ list.
Katie Ledecky popped into the limelight in 2012 when she won the gold medal at the London Olympics at just 15. The Washington, D.C. native, who made her debut at this Games, has steadily climbed her way up to become one of the most celebrated swimmers in the world.
Katie’s spectacular performances at the World Championships have also redefined women’s swimming competitions.
Katie Ledecky at the Olympics
Katie Ledecky backs the argument for being the world’s best swimmer with medals to prove it. The star athlete has ten Olympics medals, including seven gold and three silver.
Ledecky is the most decorated female swimmer, with 14 individual gold medals and 19 overall golds at the World Aquatics Championship. She won her first Olympic gold medal in the 800-meter freestyle event in 2012.
Following this, she won four golds (200-meter freestyle, 400-meter freestyle, 800-meter freestyle, 4x200-meter freestyle) and a silver medal (4x100-meter freestyle) at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
In the most recent 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Ledecky bagged two golds (1,500-meter freestyle, 800-meter freestyle) and two silvers (400-meter freestyle, 4x200-meter freestyle relay).
An expert in short-distance events, the American also holds world records in long-distance events. She has so far broken around fourteen world records, including the best time in the women’s 800m, 400m, and 1500m freestyle.
Katie Ledecky’s debut at 2012 Olympics
She made her Olympics debut while most girls her age were enjoying the summer break from high school. She was 15 when she arrived at her first Summer Games.
The then-teenager surprised many by beating former long course world champion Kate Ziegler to first place in the 800-meter freestyle at the Olympic trials. Ledecky finished two seconds ahead of Ziegler, who earned the second spot on the team. The young phenomenon left the swimming world stunned with the win.
The precocious swimmer didn’t have the best of starts at the Olympic finals as she finished only third in the 800m free heats. However, Ledecky came from behind to win the gold medal. She finished with a time of 8:23.84, the fastest in the field by 4.13 seconds in a legendary debut.
During the 1500m event’s debut at the Games last year, she set an Olympic record of 15:35.35 in the heats.
Having claimed five gold medals at the Tokyo Olympics, Katie Ledecky will look to replicate the success at the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics. Her six individual gold medals make her the most successful female US Olympian in history.
The athlete has also won Swimming World’s Female World Swimmer of the Year award a record five times. Ledecky will undoubtedly be one of the strongest contenders for the US contingent at the 2024 Summer Games.
