Now Honored With Medal of Freedom, Katie Ledecky Represents Complete All-American Status<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Katie Ledecky — Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick<\/p><\/div>\n
Her pool results were so immense that Ledecky was an all-time great before her 20th birthday, having set groundbreaking world records in the 400, 800 and 1500 freestyle. In each of her first 12 individual finals between the Olympics and World Championships, Ledecky won gold. Since then, Ledecky has added some silver and bronze medals in the shorter freestyle races, but in 27 career finals at the two biggest meets, she has won medals in all except one, a loaded 200 free heat at the Tokyo Olympics. Of course, Ledecky would rebound by winning the inaugural Olympic gold medal in the 1500 free later in that same session.<\/p>\n
In just the last two decades, plenty of female swimmers have risen to prominence as teenagers, and many have gone on to Hall-of-Fame careers. But maintaining that level of excellence has been a challenge for many, if only because of the realities of elite-level athletics.\u00a0Missy Franklin<\/strong>, for instance, won four gold medals at the 2012 Olympics and six at the 2013 Worlds, but she struggled in the leadup to the 2016 Olympics, and injuries would later derail a comeback attempt.<\/p>\n
That is the norm among swimmers, even elite, all-time great swimmers: excel at times, struggle at others. Ledecky, meanwhile, has raced at three Olympics and six World Championships without a single bad meet. And that’s in distance freestyle races that usually are the domain of younger swimmers. Last year, she became the first-ever six-time world champion in one event<\/a>.<\/p>\n
Sure, she expected more out of herself at the 2019 World Championships, but that was the meet where Ledecky became sick and was forced to pull out of the 1500 free final and the 200 free altogether. But Gwangju was arguably the site of Ledecky’s greatest triumph, as she found enough strength to out-duel Simona Quadarella<\/strong> salvage 800 free gold on the seventh day of the meet.<\/p>\n
In recent years,\u00a0Ariarne Titmus<\/strong> and\u00a0Summer McIntosh<\/strong> have taken down Ledecky’s invincibility in the shorter events, and both have broken a 400 free world record that seemed poised to last years. That’s not a knock on Ledecky but a testament to the remarkable nature of these younger swimmers, both of whom came up chasing the decorated American.<\/p>\n
And in her outside-the-pool efforts, Ledecky has never been the subject of controversy. She has been an ideal role model, gracious to fans and to rivals and standing up for important causes such as anti-doping efforts in sport.<\/p>\n
Ledecky is bidding to become a four-time Olympian this year, an achievement which only four American swimmers have pulled off this century. Both\u00a0Michael Phelps<\/strong> and\u00a0Ryan Lochte<\/strong> had their down periods as well as their share of controversial moments while\u00a0Dara Torres<\/strong> and\u00a0Allison Schmitt<\/strong> each had major down periods between their Olympic appearances. Not Ledecky.<\/p>\n
She is also aiming to become the first female swimmer and just the second swimmer overall (along with Phelps) to win four consecutive Olympic gold medals in one race, with her chance coming in the 800 free. Titmus and McIntosh could pose a challenge, with McIntosh handing Ledecky a defeat earlier this year<\/a> that was Ledecky’s first over 16 laps since before the 2012 Games, but McIntosh is likely to pass on this event in Paris.<\/p>\n
Is she the greatest female swimmer of all-time? Right now, there is a legitimate debate, but should Ledecky achieve the 800-meter four-peat in Tokyo while also defending gold in the 1500 free and winning medals in the 400 free and 800 free relay, there will be no one left to compare her to.<\/p>\n
This swimmer, an All-American in seemingly every aspect, will stand alone.<\/p>\n
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A post shared by Katie Ledecky (@katieledecky)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n