The Paris Olympics are beckoning to Katie Ledecky, who is in full training mode right now and ready to hit the ground running, so to speak. Ledecky, 27, shared pictures of herself decked out from head to toe in the new Team USA uniform, including a cap with her name on it. “Team USA @usaswimming 🇺🇸 @tyrsport National Team kit for this summer 🤩 check out the link in bio (game face not included) 🛍️🏊🏻♀️,” she captioned the post. Here’s how Ledecky is preparing to compete—and win!
Ledecky swims 10 times a week with her group, and hits the gym five times a week. “I don’t see going to the gym as work—I see it as playtime. It’s fun for me,” she told Women’s Health. “I’m pretty good at staying focused on my own goals and not paying attention to any expectations that might be on me… I’m just trying to get my arms stronger, my legs stronger, my core stronger. I’m just trying to make sure that I’m the best that I can be for the big summer ahead. I want to know that I’ve put in all the work, and feel confident and strong behind the blocks.”
Ledecky was impressed by Taylor Swift’s swimming skills on the Era’s Tour. “I love her music,” she told PopSugar. I haven’t been to a concert of hers, but I mean, when I saw that online of her diving under the stage, it was very impressive. She has a really good underwater dolphin kick, so I think she’s secretly a swimmer, and should come to some swim meets and perform in between events or something.”
Ledecky strives for balance in her life, something her coach is insistent about. “I try to catch a quick nap when I can,” she told Women’s Health. “And I try to go to bed early. I’m usually up by 5:30 for my 6 or 6:30 a.m. practice, so I need to make sure I’m getting my rest. I try to take each day as it comes—make the most of the opportunity that I do have and do it with a smile on my face. I’m a pretty happy person, so I like to keep things that way.”
Ledecky doesn’t let huge competitions such as the Olympics overwhelm her. “I just try to focus on what I can control and focus on one race at a time. I had a very busy week in Tokyo—a lot of racing. I raced 6,200 meters,” she told Prevention. “There was a lot of other swimming in between—the warm-up and warm-down. I tried to just take care of myself as best I could with good recovery, good sleep, doing all the little things right to prepare myself for the next race. Just to try to stay focused on that and use all that energy from my teammates and from my family and my friends back home.”
Ledecky has inspiring advice for younger people trying to achieve their dreams. “I love speaking to young kids and giving back all that I’ve learned about goal setting, hard work, and confidence and all the things that it takes to get to the level that I’ve gotten to at this point,” she told Prevention. “Set big goals for yourself. Do not be afraid to set those really big goals and to chase them. As you get closer and closer to them, you’ll start building up that confidence and gain that confidence from the work that it takes to get to that point. The sky’s the limit in what you can achieve. Whatever it is you’re passionate about—go for it.”