Rebecca adlington on katie ledecky biography
Katie Ledecky
American swimmer (born )
Kathleen Genevieve Ledecky (lə-DEK-ee; born March 17, )[6] is an American agonistic swimmer. She has won niner Olympic gold medals and 21 world championship gold medals, high-mindedness most in history for splendid female swimmer. With 14 medals and 9 gold medals, she is also the most aureate American woman, most decorated human swimmer, the woman with say publicly most gold medals (tied co-worker Larisa Latynina) and fifth-most elegant athlete in Olympic history. She has won a record 16 individual gold medals at probity World Aquatics Championships.[7] Ledecky's 10 individual medals at the Olympiad and 26 overall medals pressurize the World Aquatics Championships have a go at records in women's swimming. Ledecky is the world record wallet in the women's and marker freestyle (both long course existing short course), as well thanks to the former world record bearer in the women's meter freestyle (long course). She also holds the fastest-ever times in distinction women's , , and parcel freestyle events. She is out regarded as the greatest someone swimmer of all time professor one of the greatest Olympians of all time.[8][9][10]
In her general debut at the London Athletics Games as a year-old, Ledecky unexpectedly won the gold badge in the women's metre freestyle. Four years later, she omitted Rio de Janeiro as character most decorated female athlete neat as a new pin the Olympic Games, with twosome gold medals, one silver ribbon, and two world records. Accessible the Olympic Games, Ledecky emerged as the most decorated U.S. female athlete and became birth first American female swimmer prevent win an individual event unexciting three straight Olympiads.[11] In , she won gold in leadership meter World Championship, becoming goodness first swimmer—male or female—to carry the day six World Championship gold medals in the same event.[12] Be bounded by total, she has won 50 medals (38 golds, 10 silvers, and 2 bronzes) in larger international competitions, spanning the Summertime Olympics, World Championships, and Riddle Pacific Championships. During her lifetime, she has broken 16 sphere records.
Ledecky's success has just her Swimming World's Female False Swimmer of the Year a- record five times. Ledecky was also named Associated Press Somebody Athlete of the Year induce and , international female Defender of Champions by L'Équipe subordinate and , United States Athletics Committee Female Athlete of excellence Year in , and , Sportswoman of the Year close to the Women's Sports Foundation join , and the ESPY Finest Female Athlete in [13] Pluck out , she was awarded character Presidential Medal of Freedom moisten President Joe Biden.[14][15]
Early life, ocean-going, and education
Ledecky was born pledge Washington, DC [5] and tiring in the suburb of Bethesda, Maryland,[16] the daughter of Habitual Gen (née Hagan) and King Ledecky. Her Czech-born paternal grandparent Jaromír Ledecky arrived in In mint condition York City on September 8, , as a student.[17] Fiasco later became an economist dispatch married an Ashkenazi Jewish lass named Berta Ruth Greenwald acquit yourself Brooklyn on December 30, Sip her paternal grandmother, Ledecky has relatives who were murdered take away the Holocaust.[18][19][20][21] Ledecky's mother recapitulate of Irish descent.[22] She was raised Catholic and continues round on practice the faith, often appeal the Hail Mary before bring about races.[23][24] Her uncle Jon Ledecky is a businessman and clean co-owner of the NHL line-up New York Islanders.[3]
Ledecky began floating at the age of outrage under the influence of smear older brother, Michael, and recede mother, who swam for distinction University of New Mexico. Lead to Bethesda, she attended Little Grow rich School through eighth grade soar graduated from Stone Ridge Secondary of the Sacred Heart dependably [25] During her high-school aquatics career, Ledecky twice set nobleness American and US Open enigmatic in the yard freestyle, take she twice set the genetic high-school record in the grounds freestyle.
During the summer be paid , she trained with dignity Nation's Capital Swim Club (formerly the Curl Burke Swim Club) under coach Yuri Suguiyama. Followers Suguiyama's departure to coach champion the University of California, Metropolis, she continued to train aptitude the Nation's Capital Swim Staff under coach Bruce Gemmell study the Olympics. During the summers prior to , she swam for Palisades Swim Team deck Cabin John, Maryland. Ledecky be a success an athletic scholarship to University University, where she swam collect coach Greg Meehan's Stanford Requisite critical women's swimming team.[26]
In December , Ledecky was chosen as ambush of the sponsors of decency US Navy aircraft carrier USS&#;Enterprise alongside Olympic gold medal-winning gymnast Simone Biles. They are influence first Olympians to be landdwelling this honor.[27]
In December , she completed a Bachelor of Art school in psychology and minor advance political science from Stanford University,[28][29] and graduated in June [30]
Swimming career
US Olympic trials
At the Affiliated States Olympic trials in Maha, Nebraska (her first senior nationwide competition), Ledecky made the Athletics team by placing first ideal the meter freestyle with swell time of , which was over two seconds ahead engage in second-place finisher Kate Ziegler.[31] Engage Omaha, Ledecky also placed tertiary in the meter freestyle () and ninth in the prosody freestyle ().[32][33] Her third-place blockade in the meter freestyle was the fastest time ever swum by a to year-old American.[34] At 15 years, 4 months, and 10 days, she was the youngest American participant disagree with the Olympic Games.[35]
Summer Olympic Games
See also: Swimming at the Summertime Olympics
At the Summer Olympics contain London, Ledecky qualified to decline in the final of depiction meter freestyle by placing position overall in the heats fit a time of [36] Bonding agent the final, Ledecky stunned primacy field, winning gold by restore than four seconds, with wonderful time of , the substantiate second-fastest effort of all frustrate just behind Rebecca Adlington's sphere record of set in [37] In addition, she broke Janet Evans' American record of drift had stood since In honesty final, Ledecky went out determined and, by the meter explosion, she had already established implication almost body-length lead. Her statistic split was , a precise best for Ledecky in ditch distance, and would have be situated fifth in the individual metre freestyle. At the meter aim, Ledecky was seconds ahead promote Mireia Belmonte García, and additionals under world record pace. Ledecky won by seconds and fairminded missed the world record uncongenial seconds. Her gold was dignity first international medal of team up career, earning her the Worst Female Performance of the Origin and Breakout Performer of justness Year at the Golden Wonder Awards.
USA Swimming Championships
At significance US National Championships, Ledecky equipped to swim in four far-out events and the 4×meter freestyle relay at the World Athletics Championships in Barcelona, Spain, while she later dropped the metre freestyle from her program. Discuss the National Championships, she done first in the , prosperous meter freestyle, and second crumble the meter freestyle.
World Championships
At the World Championships, Ledecky won gold in the , , and meter freestyle, and pop in the 4×meter freestyle relay, focus on set two world records. Elaborate winning the through meter honours, she became the second girl ever to win the handiwork in a World Championships on account of German Hannah Stockbauer in Spiky her first event in Metropolis, the meter freestyle, Ledecky became a world champion for honourableness first time by winning sheep , setting a new Dweller record and becoming the second-fastest performer of all time alternative route the event.[38]
In her second principle, Ledecky won gold in class meter freestyle in a sphere record time of , distressing the record held by companion Kate Ziegler by six seconds.[39] The hard-fought race saw Ledecky overcome Dane Lotte Friis feature the final few hundred meters after losing the lead fall back the meter mark and designated a final 50 split carry out
In her third, and foremost relay event of her general career, the 4×meter freestyle, Ledecky and teammates Shannon Vreeland, Karlee Bispo, and Missy Franklin won gold in [40] Anchor Girl Franklin overtook Australian Alicia Coutts in the last meters, loud the US the gold. Ledecky provided the US with differentiation early lead, swimming the principal leg in a personal crush of
In her fourth build up last event, the meter freestyle, Ledecky won gold in topping world record of , redemption Rebecca Adlington's world record clamour Much like the meter freestyle, Ledecky let Lotte Friis boon most of the race, construction a move at the marker mark to eventually win righteousness race by seconds.[41]
Ledecky scored bonus points than any other natator to earn the FINA endowment for best female swimmer fall foul of the meet.[42]
At year's end, Ledecky was named the American Traveler of the Year and rendering World Swimmer of the Collection by Swimming World magazine. She was also named the finest female swimmer for by FINA Aquatics World magazine.
Ledecky began the year by breaking cook own world records in loftiness and meter freestyle at rendering Woodlands Swim Team Senior Invitational in June. Despite being dilemma season and swimming multiple deeds, Ledecky was able to foremost break the world record look the meter freestyle with graceful time of ,[43] bettering sagacious previous mark of Three cycle later, Ledecky then broke representation world record in the measure freestyle with a time faux ,[44] bettering her previous dint of
USA Swimming Championships
At goodness US National Championships, the passing meet for both the Face Pacific Swimming Championships and representation World Aquatics Championships, Ledecky on target first in the , , and meter freestyle. In high-mindedness meter freestyle, Ledecky set the brush third world record of prestige year by breaking Federica Pellegrini's world record of with precise time of With her strain in the , Ledecky became the first female since Janet Evans to hold world registers simultaneously in the , , and meter freestyles.[45]
Pan Pacific Championships
At the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in Gold Coast, Australia, Ledecky won five gold medals pointer broke two world records. Remove wins came in the , , , and meter freestyle and the 4×meter freestyle. Ledecky almost broke the world write down in the meter freestyle, culmination with a time of Be a foil for world records came in rectitude and meter freestyles, with nowadays of and , respectively. She became the first woman endorse win four individual gold medals at a single Pan Peaceful Championship.[46]
In the meter freestyle farewell, Ledecky had over a half-second lead on the field equal finish the halfway point before sickly by seconds with a upon record time of Less by an hour later, Ledecky won the meter freestyle, swimming embellish her world record pace ask most of the race in advance touching in at , illustriousness second-fastest time ever, to try to be like by seconds over New Seeland swimmer Lauren Boyle.[47]
The next allot, Ledecky added her third fuse record by swimming on high-mindedness American 4×meter freestyle relay body with Shannon Vreeland, Missy Author, and Leah Smith. Swimming rank anchor leg, Ledecky erased boss second deficit going into character final leg of the ancestry, passing Australia's Melanie Schlanger change a split over the in response meters. She also swam name the meter freestyle heats.
On the third day of position meet, Ledecky set her domicile meet record in the statistic freestyle prelim heats with skilful time of That night, Ledecky lowered the record again, bubble with the first world record consistently at the new Gold Seashore Aquatic Center with a sicken of Ledecky's winning time was over six seconds quicker puzzle American teammate and silver victor Cierra Runge.[48]
On the meet's encouragement day, Ledecky set her ordinal world record of the twelvemonth, lowering her record in depiction meter freestyle by nearly sextuplet seconds with a time all-round Ledecky swam the second section of the race faster escape the first, completing the valedictory meters in —faster than lowbrow other woman has completed dialect trig regular meter race in fine textile suit.[49] Ledecky lapped span competitors in the final near finished seconds ahead of cutlery medalist Boyle. National Team Leader Frank Busch described Ledecky's history as "the most impressive strain 2 I have ever seen, existing I've been in the haul for 50 years She's glary a completely different trail prior to anyone who has come before."[50]
During the championships' closing ceremonies, Ledecky was named the female traveller of the meet.[51]
At year's encouragement, Ledecky was named the Sphere Swimmer of the Year status American Swimmer of the Vintage by Swimming World Magazine.
World Championships
At the World Aquatics Championships in Kazan, Russia, Ledecky won five gold medals and penniless three world records. Her achievements came in the , , , and meter freestyles meticulous the 4×meter freestyle. Her field records came in the beginning meter freestyles. Ledecky became decency first and only swimmer—male enjoyable female—to win the , , and meter freestyles in dexterous major competition.[52] Ledecky was very named the female swimmer medium the meet.
Ledecky began magnanimity World Championships by winning golden in the meter freestyle rejoinder a time of , smart new championship record and nominal four seconds ahead of convoy closest competitor.[53]
In the heats innumerable the meter freestyle on authority second day of competition, Ledecky broke her own world write in a time of [54]
On the third day of difference during the morning session, Ledecky swam in the heats be successful the meter freestyle and equipped first with a time engage in In the evening session, Ledecky faced a tough double brains the meter freestyle final take up the semi-finals of the prosody freestyle shortly after. In description meter freestyle, Ledecky broke put your feet up own world record in swell time of [55] Twenty-nine transcription later, Ledecky qualified 6th check the meter freestyle with spick time of [56]
In her one and only event on the fourth apportion of competition, the meter freestyle, Ledecky won her third yellow medal of the meet, sweetened in a time of Changed her other races, it was not an easy win acknowledge Ledecky, which featured the likes of Missy Franklin and Federica Pellegrini. In the end, Ledecky was able to hold supplement a fast charging Pellegrini, in the end winning by a margin. Ledecky's final meter split of was the second-fastest in the enclosed space behind Pellegrini's [57]
On the onefifth day of competition, Ledecky, continue living Missy Franklin, Leah Smith, bid Katie McLaughlin won gold emit the 4×meter freestyle relay. Nonsubmersible the anchor leg, Ledecky true a split of and authority Americans finished with an include time of
On the 7th day of competition, Ledecky undamaged her World Championships run uninviting winning gold in the value freestyle in a world put in writing time of , breaking deduct own record by seconds.[52]
Ledecky began at the Arena Pro Float Series at Austin. On prestige final day of competition, she reset her world record be sold for the meter freestyle, clocking adroit time of [58] Earlier guess the meet, she set world-leading times in the and value freestyles and a U.S.-leading offend in the meter freestyle.
US Olympic trials
At the United States Olympic trials in Omaha, Nebraska, Ledecky won the , captain meter freestyles to qualify ask her second Olympic team. Ledecky opened the Trials with spick win and meet record gauzy the meter freestyle (). Shine unsteadily days later, she recorded straighten up time of en route problem winning the meter freestyle. Decrease July 1, Ledecky broke Janet Evans's year-old national championship not to be mentioned in the morning preliminary heats of the meter freestyle () before placing seventh that half-light in the meter freestyle (). The next day, Ledecky adulterated her meet record, winning blue blood the gentry meter freestyle final by practically 10 seconds (). With recipe pair of swims in justness meter freestyle, Ledecky took lever of the top 11 write out times in the event's history.[59] At the conclusion of glory week, Ledecky was named goodness female swimmer of the meet.[60]
Summer Olympic Games
See also: Swimming catch the Summer Olympics