The Paris 2024 Olympics have been very successful this year for America, especially in women’s sports. Katie Ledecky, from Montgomery County has become the most decorated American female Olympian of all time in any sport.
Katie Ledecky, raised in Montgomery County started swimming when she was six years old, inspired by her mother who swam collegiately. Ledecky started her Olympic career at only 15 years old. At the time, she was the youngest athlete on the 2012 U.S. Olympic swimming team.
Four years later after winning four gold medals at the 2016 Rio Olympics, Katie Ledecky enrolled at Stanford University. While there, she went on to have one of the greatest NCAA swimming careers ever, winning eight individual NCAA championships and helping lead the women’s swimming team to NCAA championships in 2017 and 2018. In 2017, she became the first freshman in 35 years to win the Honda Cup Award, which recognizes the top female collegiate athlete of the year. Shortly after, she left the school’s swim team and turned professional.
Since then, she has gone on to win 9 gold medals including her most recent gold medal. Nine Olympic gold medals also ties her with Russian gymnast Larisa Latynina for most Olympic gold medals won by a women. Latynina won nine golds between 1956-1964. In winning the 800 at the 2024 Games, Ledecky also became the seventh Olympian to win four consecutive gold medals in the same event — and second swimmer after Phelps (who won the 200 IM in four consecutive Olympiads).
Coming to Paris, Ledecky had 10 Olympic medals (seven golds), with a strong chance to move into the record books. She passed Jenny Thompson and Dara Torres (each with 12 Olympic medals) as the most decorated U.S. Olympic women after winning in the 1,500-meter freestyle earlier this week.” TEAM USA NEWS.
Now with nine Olympic golds, Ledecky joins more elite company. Only three other Olympians have won nine gold medals: Finnish running legend Paavo Nurmi, U.S. swimmer Mark Spitz and U.S. track star Mark Carl Lewis. None of won nine Olympic gold medals in the 21st century.” – TEAM USA NEWS.
With 14 total Olympic medals, Ledecky moved into the fifth most decorated Olympian of all time. When asked about her future plans as an Olympian, Katie Ledecky said she plans to participate in the 2028 Olympic Games as well.
For more information on Katie Ledecky’s records and biography visit Team USA and Katie Ledecky: Meet the athlete.
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