Katie Ledecky swam her way to being crowned one of the most decorated Olympians of all time. After her 1500m freestyle race on Wednesday night, Ledecky secured a gold medal for Team USA, her twelfth overall Olympic medal. Along with her victory, Ledecky solidified her standing as one of the best female Olympians ever. So, what sets Ledecky above the rest?
Katie Ledecky’s Historic Win
Per The New York Times, with Ledecky’s win on Wednesday night, she tied for the most medals won by a female U.S. Olympian across all sports. Earning her twelfth medal, Ledecky is now tied with fellow swimmers Jenny Thompson, Dara Torres, and Natalie Coughlin. She also holds the record for the fastest ever times in the women’s 1500m freestyle, taking the top 20 slots with times ranging between 15.20.48 (1st) to 15.38.81 (20th). Overall, commentators have calculated that Ledecky has swam a total of 23,291 miles throughout her historic career. How does Ledecky do it?
Katie Ledecky’s Olympics Showings
On Wednesday, July 31, Katie Ledecky competed in the women’s 1500m freestyle race. This being her fourth Olympic appearance, Ledecky is no stranger to competition, yet she still exudes greatness every time she enters the pool. During the race, many spectators were quick to point out how far ahead Ledecky was compared to her competitors, with one X user stating, “my favorite Olympic tradition is watching katie ledecky be so far ahead that it looks like no one else is in the pool.”
Ledecky has also appeared at the 2012 London Olympics, the 2016 Rio Olympics, and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. At only 15 years old, Ledecky won her first Olympic gold medal in London in 2012 for the 800m freestyle. She has gone on to win 11 more medals: five in Rio, four in Tokyo, and two in Paris (so far).
Ledecky still has plenty of time to solidify her record even further. She is set to compete in two more races during the Paris Olympics: the women’s 4×200 on Thursday and the 800m freestyle on Saturday. According to The New York Times, if Ledecky were to win in the 800m freestyle on Saturday, she would be the first female swimmer to win the same event at four consecutive Olympic Games.
Katie Ledecky’s Dedication
One can only imagine the kind of dedication becoming an Olympic athlete takes, let alone becoming one of the most decorated Olympians of all time. Now, that’s quite a feat. To compete at the Olympics, the highest level of any sporting event, one must put their determination and commitment to sport above all else. And that’s just the prerequisite.
For Ledecky, her dedication to swimming is reflected throughout her training. In an interview with EatingWell, where Ledecky discussed her preparation for the Paris Games, she admitted to training around 30 hours per week. Ledecky told the publication:
“I train about 25 to 30 hours a week, about 20 hours of that is in a pool, and then the other 5 to 10 hours are in the gym.” She then went on to elaborate how a lot of her confidence in swimming comes from her rigorous training routine, revealing, “As long as I’m staying on top of those things, I know that I’ll get behind the blocks and feel my most confident.”
Despite being one of the most celebrated female swimmers in the world, Ledecky continues to strive for greatness. At 27, she could have easily hung up her swim cap and retired, leaving behind the legacy from an already incredible career. However, Ledecky is still out there, competing. She also recently announced her plans for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, in which Ledecky will then be 31 years old. One has to wonder if there’s some part of Ledecky that’s superhuman.
For More Great Content
Total Apex is an all-encompassing content producer. We provide heavily detailed articles every day on entertainment, gaming, sports, and so much more! Check out all our great sports content at Total Apex Sports. Check us out on X @TotalApexEandG and our other sites: Total Apex Entertainment, Total Apex Gaming, Total Apex Sports Bets, and Total Apex Fantasy Sports.
