Katie Ledecky Qualifies For 2021 Olympics In 400 Freestyle

BETHESDA, MD — Katie Ledecky will head to Tokyo this summer, looking to add to her collection of five Olympic gold medals.

The Bethesda native has qualified for the 400 freestyle and is still competing in the trials for a chance to swim the 200, 800 and 1,500 meter freestyle and 4 x 200-meter freestyle relay. If Ledecky qualifies for all of the events and wins gold in all of them, she will break records as the woman with the most Olympic medals in history.

Ledecky graduated from Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart in 2015. The 24-year-old graduated from Stanford University last week, but had to celebrate from the Olympic trials in Omaha. She and two teammates celebrated their commencement, poolside. Since the Olympics were postponed last summer, Ledecky was able to take a full course load in the spring and graduate in fall 2o20, according to USA Today.

Ledecky has broken the world record five times in the 1500 meter freestyle and held the world-leading time every year since 2013 (except 2016 when she did not contest the 1,500), Team USA said.

"I want to kick off the U.S. on a good note for [the 1,500]," Ledecky said at the Team USA media summit in May. "There have been so many great female distance swimmers who have come through the U.S. that haven't had that opportunity [to swim the 1,500 at the Olympic Games]. So I want to take advantage of that opportunity and really get us started on a great note there."

Ledecky was swimming in backyard pools in preparation for the trials last summer, when they hadn't yet been postponed, according to NBC Sports. In June 2020, she was able to get back to the Stanford pools.

The Olympic Games will begin on July 23.