Katie Ledecky facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Katie Ledecky

Katie Ledecky at the Golden Goggle Awards in 2023
Personal information
Born	(1997-03-17) March 17, 1997 (age 28) Washington, D.C., U.S.
Height	6 ft 0 in
Weight	160 lb
Sport
Sport	Swimming
Strokes	Freestyle
Club	Nation's Capital Swim Club (NCAP) University of Florida
College team	Stanford University
Coach	Yuri Suguiyama Bruce Gemmell Greg Meehan Anthony Nesty
Medal record Women's swimming Representing  United States Event 1st 2nd 3rd Olympic Games 9 4 1 World Championships (LC) 21 5 0 Pan Pacific Championships (LC) 8 1 1 Event 1st 2nd 3rd 200 m freestyle 3 1 1 400 m freestyle 7 3 1 800 m freestyle 12 0 0 1500 m freestyle 9 0 0 4x100 m freestyle 1 1 0 4x200 m freestyle 6 5 0 Olympic Games Gold 2012 London 800 m freestyle Gold 2016 Rio de Janeiro 200 m freestyle Gold 2016 Rio de Janeiro 400 m freestyle Gold 2016 Rio de Janeiro 800 m freestyle Gold 2016 Rio de Janeiro 4×200 m freestyle Gold 2020 Tokyo 800 m freestyle Gold 2020 Tokyo 1500 m freestyle Gold 2024 Paris 800 m freestyle Gold 2024 Paris 1500 m freestyle Silver 2016 Rio de Janeiro 4×100 m freestyle Silver 2020 Tokyo 400 m freestyle Silver 2020 Tokyo 4×200 m freestyle Silver 2024 Paris 4×200 m freestyle Bronze 2024 Paris 400 m freestyle World Championships (LC) Gold 2013 Barcelona 400 m freestyle Gold 2013 Barcelona 800 m freestyle Gold 2013 Barcelona 1500 m freestyle Gold 2013 Barcelona 4×200 m freestyle Gold 2015 Kazan 200 m freestyle Gold 2015 Kazan 400 m freestyle Gold 2015 Kazan 800 m freestyle Gold 2015 Kazan 1500 m freestyle Gold 2015 Kazan 4×200 m freestyle Gold 2017 Budapest 400 m freestyle Gold 2017 Budapest 800 m freestyle Gold 2017 Budapest 1500 m freestyle Gold 2017 Budapest 4×100 m freestyle Gold 2017 Budapest 4×200 m freestyle Gold 2019 Gwangju 800 m freestyle Gold 2022 Budapest 400 m freestyle Gold 2022 Budapest 800 m freestyle Gold 2022 Budapest 1500 m freestyle Gold 2022 Budapest 4×200 m freestyle Gold 2023 Fukuoka 800 m freestyle Gold 2023 Fukuoka 1500 m freestyle Silver 2017 Budapest 200 m freestyle Silver 2019 Gwangju 400 m freestyle Silver 2019 Gwangju 4×200 m freestyle Silver 2023 Fukuoka 400 m freestyle Silver 2023 Fukuoka 4×200 m freestyle Pan Pacific Championships (LC) Gold 2014 Gold Coast 200 m freestyle Gold 2014 Gold Coast 400 m freestyle Gold 2014 Gold Coast 800 m freestyle Gold 2014 Gold Coast 1500 m freestyle Gold 2014 Gold Coast 4×200 m freestyle Gold 2018 Tokyo 400 m freestyle Gold 2018 Tokyo 800 m freestyle Gold 2018 Tokyo 1500 m freestyle Silver 2018 Tokyo 4×200 m freestyle Bronze 2018 Tokyo 200 m freestyle

Kathleen Genevieve Ledecky (pronounced lə-DEK-ee; born March 17, 1997) is an American competitive swimmer. She is known as one of the greatest swimmers of all time. Katie has won many medals, including nine Olympic gold medals and 21 world championship gold medals. This is more than any other female swimmer in history!

Katie also holds world records in the women's 800-meter and 1500-meter freestyle races. She used to hold the world record in the 400-meter freestyle too. She has won a total of 50 medals in big international swimming events like the Olympics and World Championships. She has also broken 16 world records during her amazing career.

Katie Ledecky's Early Life and Education

Katie Ledecky was born in Washington, D.C., and grew up in Bethesda, Maryland. Her parents are Mary Gen and David Ledecky. Her grandfather, Jaromír Ledecky, came to New York City from Czechoslovakia as a student in 1947. Katie's mother has Irish family roots. Katie was raised Catholic and still practices her faith, often praying before her races. Her uncle, Jon Ledecky, is a businessman and co-owner of the NHL team New York Islanders.

Ledecky (left) at the 2013 FINA World Aquatics Championships in Barcelona

Katie started swimming when she was six years old. Her older brother, Michael, and her mother, who swam for the University of New Mexico, inspired her. She went to Little Flower School and then graduated from Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart in 2015. In high school, Katie set American and U.S. Open records in the 500-yard freestyle. She also set national high school records in the 200-yard freestyle.

During the summer of 2012, Katie trained with the Nation's Capital Swim Club under coach Yuri Suguiyama. Later, she trained with the same club under coach Bruce Gemmell until the 2016 Olympics. Katie received a scholarship to Stanford University, where she swam for coach Greg Meehan's Stanford Cardinal women's swimming team.

In December 2016, Katie was honored as one of the sponsors for the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Enterprise. She shared this honor with Olympic gymnast Simone Biles. They were the first Olympians to receive this special recognition. Katie finished her college degree in psychology and political science from Stanford University in 2020.

Katie Ledecky's Swimming Career Highlights

Starting Her Olympic Journey in 2012

Katie Ledecky made her first Olympic team at the 2012 U.S. Olympic trials in Omaha, Nebraska. She was only 15 years old! She won the 800-meter freestyle race, securing her spot. She was the youngest American swimmer at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.

At the London Olympics, Katie surprised everyone by winning the gold medal in the 800-meter freestyle. She finished more than four seconds ahead of the next swimmer. Her time of 8:14.63 was the second-fastest ever at that time. She also broke the American record set by Janet Evans in 1989. This amazing win earned her awards for Best Female Performance and Breakout Performer of the Year.

World Championships Success in 2013

At the 2013 World Aquatics Championships in Barcelona, Spain, Katie won four gold medals. She won the 400-meter, 800-meter, and 1500-meter freestyle races, plus the 4×200-meter freestyle relay. She also set two new world records!

In the 1500-meter freestyle, she broke the world record by six seconds. In the 800-meter freestyle, she broke Rebecca Adlington's world record. Katie became the second woman ever to win the 400m, 800m, and 1500m freestyle events at a World Championships. She was named the best female swimmer of the meet.

Ledecky speaks to students at Rickard Elementary School in Williston, North Dakota (2015).

Setting More Records in 2014

In 2014, Katie continued to break her own world records. She set new records in the 800-meter and 1500-meter freestyle events. At the U.S. National Championships, she broke the 400-meter freestyle world record. This made her the first female swimmer since Janet Evans to hold world records in the 400m, 800m, and 1500m freestyle at the same time.

At the 2014 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in Australia, Katie won five gold medals and broke two more world records. She became the first woman to win four individual gold medals at one Pan Pacific Championship. She was also named the female swimmer of the meet.

Ledecky after breaking the 1500-meter freestyle world record at the 2014 Pan Pacific Championships.

Dominating the 2015 World Championships

At the 2015 World Aquatics Championships in Kazan, Russia, Katie won five gold medals and broke three world records. She won the 200m, 400m, 800m, and 1500m freestyles, plus the 4×200m freestyle relay. She was the first swimmer ever to win all four of these freestyle events in a major competition. She broke her own world records in the 800m and 1500m freestyles. Katie was again named the female swimmer of the meet.

Ledecky after her win in the 400-meter freestyle in Kazan.

Rio Olympics Triumph in 2016

Katie qualified for her second Olympic team at the 2016 U.S. Olympic trials. She won the 200m, 400m, and 800m freestyles.

At the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Katie had an incredible performance. She won four gold medals and one silver medal.

• Silver Medal: In the 4×100-meter freestyle relay, her team earned a silver medal.
• Gold Medal and World Record: She won gold in the 400-meter freestyle with a new world record time of 3:56.46.
• Gold Medal: She won a second gold in the 200-meter freestyle.
• Gold Medal: Her team won gold in the 4×200-meter freestyle relay. Katie swam the final part of the race, turning a deficit into a victory.
• Gold Medal and World Record: She won her fourth gold in the 800-meter freestyle, setting another world record of 8:04.79.

Ledecky swimming at the 2016 Olympic Games

Katie was the first swimmer since 1968 to win the 200m, 400m, and 800m freestyle at the same Olympics. Her five medals were the most won by a U.S. female athlete at those games.

Ledecky (with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry) accepts her award for "Female Athlete of the Olympic Games" in Washington, D.C. (September 2016)

College Swimming and More World Championships in 2017

During the 2016–17 college season, Katie set 12 NCAA records and nine American records while swimming for Stanford University. She helped Stanford win its first team title since 1998. She was the first freshman in 35 years to receive the Honda Cup, which is given to the nation's top female college athlete.

At the 2017 World Aquatics Championships in Budapest, Katie won five gold medals and one silver medal. This brought her total to 14 career world titles, breaking the record for most gold medals won by a female swimmer.

• Gold Medals: She won the 400m, 800m, and 1500m freestyle events. She also helped her team win gold in the 4×100m and 4×200m freestyle relays.
• Silver Medal: She tied for silver in the 200-meter freestyle. This was her first loss in an individual final at a major international event.

Results scoreboard for the women's 1500-meter freestyle World Championship final in Budapest

Becoming a Professional Swimmer in 2018

In 2018, Katie decided to become a professional swimmer, giving up her last two years of college eligibility. She signed her first sponsorship deal with TYR Sport, Inc..

In her first professional race in May 2018, Katie broke her own world record in the 1500-meter freestyle, setting a new record of 15:20.48.

At the 2018 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in Tokyo, Katie won three individual gold medals in the 400m, 800m, and 1500m freestyle. She also earned a bronze in the 200m freestyle and a silver in the 4x200m freestyle relay.

Ledecky and Leah Smith after the 800m freestyle race in 2018

Overcoming Challenges in 2019

At the 2019 World Aquatics Championships in South Korea, Katie faced an illness. She had to withdraw from two events. However, she still managed to win her fourth straight World Championship title in the 800-meter freestyle. She also won silver medals in the 400-meter freestyle and the 4×200-meter freestyle relay.

Tokyo Olympics in 2020 (held in 2021)

The 2020 Summer Olympics were postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Katie trained in a private pool during this time. At the U.S. Olympic trials, she qualified for her third Olympic team in the 200m, 400m, 800m, and 1500m freestyle events.

In Tokyo, Katie won two gold medals and two silver medals. She became the most decorated U.S. female athlete for the second Olympics in a row.

• Silver Medal: She won silver in the 400-meter freestyle, finishing second to Australian swimmer Ariarne Titmus. This was her first individual loss at the Olympics.
• Gold Medal: She won gold in the debut of the women's 1500-meter freestyle at the Olympics, setting an Olympic record in the heats.
• Silver Medal: Her team won silver in the 4×200-meter freestyle relay. Katie swam the fastest part of the relay.
• Gold Medal: She won her second gold medal of the Games in the 800-meter freestyle. This made her the first swimmer to win a distance event three times in a row at the Olympics.

After the Olympics, Katie announced she would train with coach Anthony Nesty at the University of Florida. She also became a volunteer swim coach for the Florida Gators.

World Championships and World Cup in 2022

At the 2022 World Aquatics Championships in Budapest, Katie won all four of her events: the 400m, 1500m, and 800m freestyle, and the 4×200m freestyle relay. With these four golds, she now has 22 career World Championships medals, the most for any female swimmer. She also became the first swimmer, male or female, to win five straight world championship titles in an individual event (the 800m freestyle).

In October 2022, at the FINA Swimming World Cup in Toronto, Katie swam the 1500m short course event for the first time. She set a new world record of 15:08.24. The next week, she broke the world record in the 800m short course freestyle in Indianapolis.

More World Championships in 2023

At the 2023 World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka, Japan, Katie won two gold medals and two silver medals. Her 16th individual gold medal at the World Championships meant she passed Michael Phelps for the most individual gold medals ever at the World Championships.

• Silver Medal: She placed second in the 400-meter freestyle.
• Gold Medal: She won the 1500-meter freestyle by over 17 seconds.
• Silver Medal: Her team earned a silver medal in the 4×200m freestyle relay.
• Gold Medal: She won the 800-meter freestyle, becoming the first swimmer to win six straight world titles in an event.

Paris Olympics in 2024

Ledecky (wearing a gold medal from the 2024 Summer Olympic Games) with U.S. Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff in August 2024

Katie Ledecky qualified for her fourth Olympics at the 2024 U.S. Olympic trials. She finished first in four events: 200m, 400m, 800m, and 1500m freestyle.

At the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris:

• Bronze Medal: She finished third in the 400-meter freestyle.
• Gold Medal and Olympic Record: She defended her title in the 1500-meter freestyle, setting a new Olympic record.
• Gold Medal: She won her fourth straight gold medal and eighth individual gold (a new record for women at the Olympics) in the 800-meter freestyle.
• Silver Medal: Her team won silver in the 4x200m freestyle relay.

Awards and Recognitions

Ledecky with President Joe Biden after she accepted the Presidential Medal of Freedom in June 2024

Katie Ledecky has been a U.S. Olympic team member in 2012, 2016, 2020, and 2024. She holds the women's record for most individual gold medals (16) and overall gold medals (21) at the World Aquatics Championships. Her combined 24 individual titles at the Olympics (8) and World Championships (16) is also a record for female swimmers.

Some of her many awards include:

• Swimming World World Swimmer of the Year Award: Five times
• Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year: 2017, 2022
• United States Olympic Committee Female Athlete of the Year: 2013, 2016, 2017
• Sportswoman of the Year by the Women's Sports Foundation: 2017
• ESPY Best Female Athlete: 2022
• Presidential Medal of Freedom: 2024 (the highest civilian award in the U.S.)

Katie Ledecky's Best Times

Katie Ledecky has set many personal best times and world records throughout her career. Here are some of her fastest times in different types of pools:

Long Course Meters (50 m pool)

Short Course Meters (25 m pool)

Short Course Yards (25 y pool)

World Records Set by Katie Ledecky

Katie Ledecky has set many world records in her career. Here are the records she has broken:

Long Course (50 m pool)

Short Course (25 m pool)

Images for kids

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  Ledecky (middle) and fellow Olympic champion Simone Biles (left) sign a steel plate for the USS Enterprise (2017)

See also

In Spanish: Katie Ledecky para niños

• List of Olympic medalists in swimming (women)
• List of multiple Olympic gold medalists
• List of top Olympic gold medalists in swimming
• List of World Aquatics Championships medalists in swimming (women)
• List of individual gold medalists in swimming at the Olympics and World Aquatics Championships (women)
• List of world records in swimming
• World record progression 400 metres freestyle
• World record progression 800 metres freestyle
• World record progression 1500 metres freestyle
• List of USOC Athlete of the Year award winners
• List of Associated Press Athletes of the Year