U.S. Olympic swimmer Katie Ledecky said she was “inspired” to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor, in May, and hopes that inspiration will carry over to her competition when she swims again next month in preparation for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
During a wide-ranging interview with Stephanie Goske on the “Today” show Monday morning, Ledecky, whose autobiography, “Just Add Water: My Life in Swimming,” is released tomorrow, acknowledged that while she may go down in history as the most decorated female swimmer in Olympic history, she's not obsessed with records.
“When I started swimming, I never thought I'd even make one Olympics, let alone a fourth,” said Ledecky, who won her first medal at age 15. “So that part is shocking to me, but at the same time, I don't really focus on the history or the number of medals. I'm very focused on individual swims and I care more about times than placements.”
Ledecky rose to fame as a teenager at the 2012 London Olympics, where she won a gold medal in the 800m freestyle. Since then, she has won six gold medals at the 2016 and 2020 Olympics and 21 gold medals at world championships.
Now a veteran player on the U.S. team, Ledecky said experience will be key to success in Paris.
“I really know what to expect when I go to big meets, nationally or internationally,” Ledecky said. “I feel a certain level of comfort now, and I think that's showing in my racing.”
Ledecky revealed on the “Today” show that she is currently training with the U.S. men's swimming team to give herself that extra edge.
“One of the main reasons I came to Florida was to train with the best male distance swimmers in the world,” she said. “I always knew that if I had the opportunity to compete against the boys, I would be able to train really well and race really well. And not just boys, but the best. It's been a really great environment for me. I try to improve them as much as they improve me.”
Ledecky's training comes amid a debate over gender equality in sports, and she pointed out how important it is for men and women to alternate racing in the same events.
“We get the same media coverage at the big tournaments, the same prize money,” she says, “and we all enjoy the same benefits. But I realise that's not the case in all sports. The media landscape is changing, and it's good to see women's sport continuing to improve.”
As she prepares for Paris, Ledecky hopes to inspire young girls who look to her as a role model.
“Don't be afraid to set the bar high and set goals that seem unrealistic or impossible at first,” Ledecky said. “Don't be afraid to set goals and just keep working at them, and you'll see results and know you're getting closer to your goal.”
