Katie Ledecky Kicks Off Swimming in Paris, Remains Focused on Her Goals

NANTERRE, France – Seven-time Olympic gold medalist Katie Ledecky kicked off her fourth Olympic Games at just 27 years old on Saturday with a bronze medal in the women's 400-meter freestyle final.

The transcendent swimmer will still compete in the 800m and 1,500m individual freestyle events at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 with a chance to become the first female athlete to four-peat in an event should she take gold in the 800m freestyle.

But that isn’t Ledecky’s focus. 

“These things kind of go in one ear and out the other,” Ledecky said of her chance at history. “... I hear them, I see them, but I don’t really focus on them … I just stay focused on my own goals.” 

Ledecky’s goals are not to join other greats in an exclusive group of athletes that accomplish a certain feat, nor are they to become the first woman to do something spectacular on a global stage. Though those would be bonus achievements along with her personal goals, Ledecky remains locked-in on her split and technique-oriented marks that she sets for herself before the games begin. 

This Olympic cycle goes deeper than performances for Ledecky. She is the U.S.’ only four-time Olympian rostered on the national swim team, earning her the leadership responsibilities associated with being a veteran of such stature and experience. 

“We have so much respect for Katie,” U.S. teammate Ryan Murphy said. “The way she carries herself is second to none. She’s so humble, but she’s also a really good leader in that she’s so consistent day-to-day … She's one of the best of all time, so we're really lucky to have her on our team as both an athlete and a leader.”

Ledecky was just 15 for her first Olympic trip to the Olympic Games London 2012. She reflects fondly as she remembers how strong leaders like Brendan Hansen made her feel like she belonged on such a massive stage. She looks to fill the same role with Team USA this summer. 

“The biggest thing is to make sure that everyone feels that they belong on that team,” Ledecky said. 

She recalled her first Olympics in which members of Team USA had an impressive sense of camaraderie that included inside jokes from past trips that she didn’t understand. 

“The leaders on that first (Olympic) team that I was on really recognized that, ‘Katie's new to this, you know, she might not get all these inside jokes or not have all these stories to tell,’ and they made me feel so welcome.” Ledecky said. “... So I think it's just important to recognize that we all have different experiences.”

Ledecky went on to add, “This will be my fourth Olympics. There'll be a couple others on the team where it's their third. And then there are some that have never even been to a world championships. So it's just important to remember that when we're all together and just make sure that we're all coming together as one.”

The diverse group of swimmers who find their names on the Team USA roster can draw on the strengths of one another as they attempt to dominate the pool in Paris. Ledecky has no doubts about their ability to pull together. 

“There's just great leadership all around,” she said. “And different experiences that I think we'll all be able to share with each other. And again, I think we'll just come together really well, like we always do. I have no doubts about that.”