Since her debut at the 2012 Summer Olympics at the age of 15, Katie Ledecky has broken 16 world records and is the most decorated female swimmer in history, with seven Olympic gold medals and 21 world championship gold medals.
Ledecky made her first Olympic appearance as the youngest American participant at the 2012 Summer Games. She secured a gold win in the 800-meter freestyle with a time of 8:14.63, breaking Janet Evans’ American record from 1989. Ledecky was barely behind the world record time of 8:14.10, set by Rebecca Adlington in 2008.
Ledecky earned four gold medals and one silver at the 2016 Olympic Games. At the 2020 Summer Olympics, she earned two gold medals and two silver medals, making her the most decorated U.S. female athlete for a second straight Summer Olympics.
Ledecky spoke with NPR in May 2024 ahead of the U.S. Olympic Trials and 2024 Games, reminiscing on her first Olympics and which events she’s looking forward to.
“The 800 free has always been my favorite and the event that I swam at my first Olympics in 2012, which I won gold at at age 15. So that’s one that I hold a special place for in my heart,” she told NPR.
Looking ahead to the 2028 Summer Olympics, Ledecky also revealed she “definitely could see myself competing in 2028, with it being a home Olympics.” Ultimately, though, the swimmer’s “focus is solely on this summer in Paris.”
Keep scrolling to see a timeline of Ledecky’s swimming career:
