With numerous NCAA, American, World, and Olympic records, Katie Ledecky is one of the most decorated female swimmers the world has ever seen. Although she won her first Olympic gold in London back in 2012 at the age of 15, Ledecky has a long and exciting swimming career ahead of her.
Here are 11 interesting facts about Katie Ledecky.
1. How tall is Katie Ledecky?
Katie Ledecky’s height is a whopping 6 ft 0 in (183 cm). That height makes her a full 8 inches taller than the average woman and puts her in the 99th height percentile for women.
2. As A 15 Year Old, Katie Won Gold in London
In her first ever Olympics as a young 15 year old, Katie won gold in the 800 meter freestyle. Since then, Katie has won numerous other medals at multiple national and international swimming competitions.
3. Most Decorated Female Athlete of the 2016 Olympic Games
Katie Ledecky walked away from the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic games as the most decorated female athlete with four gold medals and one silver medal. Here is a table with Katie Ledecky’s Olympic medals from the 2016 Olympic games in Rio.
| Medal | Event | Time | Record |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gold | 200 meter freestyle | 1:53.73 | |
| Gold | 400 meter freestyle | 3:56.46 | World |
| Gold | 800 meter freestyle | 8:04.79 | World |
| Gold | 4×200 meter freestyle relay | 7:43.03 | |
| Bronze | 4×100 meter freestyle relay | 3:31.89 | American |
4. It All Started at the Age of 6
Similar to many elite and Olympic swimmers, Katie Ledecky began swimming at the age of 6.
5. Ledecky Hails From The Nation’s Capital
Katie Ledecky was born in Washington, D.C. on March 17, 1997. Formerly known as the Curl Burke Swim Club, Katie swam for the Nation’s Capital Swim Club, a top swim club in the nation according to USA Swimming.
Although she trained under coach Yuri Suguiyama leading up to the 2012 Olympics, Bruce Gemmell coached Ledecky through the 2016 Olympics before she went to college at Stanford.
6. Ledecky is of Czechoslovakian Descent
While her mother is of Irish descent, Ledecky’s parental grandfather immigrated from Czechoslovakia in 1947. Although her paternal grandmother is Jewish, Katie identifies as a Catholic.
7. Ledecky Broke Every Record at Her High School Except One
In addition to breaking the American and US Open record in the 500 yard freestyle multiple times, Ledecky graduated high school having broken every single Stone Ridge School swimming record except the 100 meter breaststroke.
8. Before Going Professional, Ledecky Swam Two Years For Stanford
During her two year collegiate swimming career between 2016 and 2018, Ledecky helped Stanford win two NCAA Championships—the first in nearly a decade for Stanford women’s swimming. While Ledecky broke 12 NCAA records as a freshman at Stanford, she set another three the following year.
9. Ledecky Went Pro a Week After 2018 NCAA Championships
Katie Ledecky signed with Dan Levy, a sports agent for Wasserman, one week after the 2018 NCAA swimming championships, making her ineligible to compete anymore in college swimming. Going professional, however, allowed Ledecky to accept professional endorsement and sponsorship opportunities, her first of which was TYR, a major swimming brand.
10. Katie Ledecky’s Net Worth is an Estimated $3 to $5 Million
How much is Katie Ledecky worth? According to multiple sources, Katie Ledecky’s estimated net worth in 2019 is somewhere between $3 and $5 million thanks to multiple sponsorships and endorsements.
11. Katie Frequently Earns International Recognition as a Female Athlete
Ever since her debut appearance at the 2012 Olympics, Katie Ledecky has been recognized and awarded honors by multiple international publications.
- Swimming World’s Female World Swimmer of the Year in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2018
- Swimming World’s Female American Swimmer of the Year in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018
- Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year in 2017
- L’Équipe’s International Female Champion of Champions in 2014 and 2017
- United States Olympic Committee Female Athlete of the Year in 2013, 2016, and 2017
- Women’s Sports Foundation’s Sportswoman of the Year in 2017
For a complete list of Katie Ledecky awards and honors, check out her Wikipedia page.
