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With no Michael Phelps at the Tokyo Olympics 2020, all US hopes rest on Katie Ledecky's shoulders. Arguably the most decorated female swimmer of all time, Katie Ledecky is a winner of five Olympic gold medals and 15 world championship gold medals. She holds the world records in women’s 400m, 800m and 1500m freestyle.
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Katie Ledecky is four short of gymnast Larisa Latynina who won nine gold medals for Soviet Union at the Summer Games from 1956-1964.
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She also holds the fastest times in women's 500, 1000 and 1650-yard freestyle events. At London Olympics 2012, a 15-year-old Katie Ledecky shocked the world by winning the 800m freestyle. She has been named Swimming World’s Female World Swimmer of the Year for a record five times.
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Although she had a disappointing 2019 World Championships due to illness and injury, Ledecky is back to her former self. At the recently-concluded US Olympic Trials in Omaha, Ledecky won the 200m freestyle. She returned an hour later to win the 1500m, still registering the fastest time of the year.
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200m freestyle
Katie Ledecky won the gold in Rio Olympics 2016 in the 200m freestyle event. She swam a 1:55.11 to qualify for Tokyo - a full body length ahead of others.
400m freestyle
This too is an event that Ledecky won at the Rio Olympics in 2016. In the evening session on Day 2 of the Tokyo Olympics 2020, Ledecky will take the first dip in the pool for the 400m prelims. During the US Trials in Omaha, she clocked a winning time of 4:01.27. According to AFP, she said:
"The first race is always the toughest. There's just that added level of excitement and nervousness. I just wanted to get the race over with and get to the wall and punch my ticket. There are always expectations out there. (But) the most important expectations are the ones that I have for myself.
"I think I do a pretty good job of sticking to those and not seeing what kinds of medal counts or times that (sic) people are throwing out about what I could accomplish if everything goes perfectly. I just have to stick to my own goals, and that's what I do,” she added.
If she can make it to the final on Day 3 (26 July 2021), she will try to defend her 400m freestyle gold in the morning session. She will face tough competition from the world champion in 400m Ariarne Titmus.
800m freestyle
The 800m freestyle gold in 2012 was Ledecky's first Olympic medal. At Rio Olympics 2016, she successfully defended her title. She is the world champion in 800m and holds the world record of 8:04.79.
1500m freestyle
Day Three of the Tokyo Olympics 2020 will be the hardest day in Katie Ledecky’s Summer Games this year. Assuming she qualifies, she will swim the 400m freestyle final in the morning session. In the evening, she will return to compete in the 200m freestyle prelims, followed by the 1500m freestyle prelims.
In the history of modern Olympics, no swimmer — male or female — has ever won the gold medal in both 200m and 800m at the same Games. While five male swimmers have won different medals in both the events, no female swimmer has ever achieved that feat either.
But Katie Ledecky is not short of inspiration. At the US Trials in Omaha, she did the unexpected. She first won the 200m freestyle and returned an hour later to win the 1500m freestyle. After her victory, Ledecky told NBC Sports, “I’m just so grateful that we have the mile in now.”
That’s not all. Katie Ledecky was handed her 1500m winner’s medal at Omaha by Janet Evans. Janet Evans won back-to-back gold medals in 800m in 1988 and 1992, and held the world record in women’s 1500m from 1987 to 2007.
“Hopefully we can do her proud in Tokyo, along with all of the other female swimmers that haven’t had the opportunities that we have today,” Ledecky added.
4x200m Team Relay
Katie Ledecky is also likely to participate in the 4x200 team relay event. This will give her a chance to win a fifth gold. Her team won gold in the 4x200m freestyle at the Rio Olympics 2016.
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