2024 Olympics: Katie Ledecky talks preparation, competition ahead of next Olympic Games in Paris
One of the greatest swimmers of all-time, Katie Ledecky has turned her attention to another legacy-defining event.
The 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris are just over seven months away, and the three-time Olympian and seven-time Olympic gold medalist is in full training mode. Ledecky, 26, made an appearance at the TYR Store at the Roosevelt Field Mall Wednesday to discuss the latest in her career and what is ahead before the Olympics.
“I’m really excited about this upcoming year,” Ledecky told Newsday. “I’ve been training really hard, and we’re about to turn the calendar page over to January 2024 and that’s when it really starts to hit everyone that the Olympics are almost here. And so, we’ll have Olympic trials in June of 2024, and then Paris will be about a month after that. So, I’m working hard and hopefully will compete in Paris in a number of events.”
Ledecky had a strong 2023 calendar year. She claimed gold medals in both the 800- and 1500-meter freestyle at the World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka, Japan,in July. She also won three gold medals — the 400, 800 and 1500 free — at the USA Swimming Championships June 27-July 1.
Ledecky has 21 career gold medals at the World Aquatics Championships, the most of any woman all-time.
“2023 was great,” Ledecky said. “I swam some of my fastest times in years this past year, and so that was a really great stepping stone leading into this Olympic year.”
Ledecky plans to compete in “about” one swim meet per month between now and the U.S. Olympic Team Trials on June 15-23 in Indianapolis.
Ledecky is training at the University of Florida in Gainesville working with the Gators men’s and women’s swimming teams and several pros. She trains for about two hours in the pool, nine to 10 times per week. She also trains on land or with weights for about an hour and a half, five times per week.
The niece of Islanders co-owner Jon Ledecky, Ledecky is a big Islanders fan and expressed a bit of disappointment that she could not catch a game in her time on Long Island.
“I watch almost every game,” Ledecky said. “It’s perfect. I finish practice around 5, get home at 6, make dinner, flip the game on at 7, 7:30. And sometimes I have to go to bed before the third period, and sometimes that’s a good thing.”
Customers and mall personnel were walking in and out of the TYR Store during Ledecky’s appearance. Nassau County police officer Ali Adamski works at Roosevelt Field and was incredibly excited for the opportunity to meet Ledecky.
“She’s so humble,” Adamski said. “[She] made it at 15, and she continues to just work hard and be an inspiration for all the girls out there that anything’s possible.”
Ben Dickson joined Newsday’s high school sports staff in 2023 after graduating from Maryland, where he covered several of the Terrapins' teams.
