Tarmac Online

By Timothy Stoeber ‘26

 In some sports there can be a legitimate debate about who is the “Greatest of All Time.” But in women’s swimming, there is absolutely no debate. It is Katie Ledecky, and it is not even close. Ledecky is the most decorated women’s swimmer in Olympic history, having won medals in distances as short as 100 meters as part of a relay team and as long as 1,500 meters in individual races.

Her Olympic debut, at age 15, was at the 2012 Olympic Games in London, where she won gold in the 800-meter freestyle. In the next three Olympics, she won a total of 8 more gold medals, 4 silver medals and a bronze medal. In 2025, she won her seventh straight World Championship in the 800-meter freestyle, her signature event, and broke her own world record.

Ledecky has not just broken records – she has obliterated them. In a sport in which just a tenth of a second is huge, Ledecky has won major competitions by up to seven seconds! At one point, she held 29 of the 30 fastest times ever recorded in the 800-meter freestyle, an event in which she has been totally untouchable. Ledecky is now training for the 2028 Olympic Games, which will be held in Los Angeles.

Her family is very proud of what she has accomplished in the water. But they are just as impressed by who she is as a person: a devout Catholic, a Stanford graduate with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology, and a charming young woman. And she, in turn, is incredibly proud of her family. Her family has heard the call from God and demonstrates their devotion by giving back to the community.

In her book Just Add Water: My Swimming Life, Ledecky devotes an entire chapter to each member of her family, all of whom are high achievers in their own right. Examples include her brother and best friend, Michael, a Harvard graduate and national-class swimmer; her grandmother, Bertie, who worked as a translator for Albert Einstein; her grandfather, Jerry, who, after coming to the United States alone from Czechoslovakia, became fluent in eight languages and earned a Ph.D. in economics; and her uncle Jon, the co-owner of the New York Islanders.

Tarmac was invited to attend An Evening with Katie Ledecky, a Q&A conversation hosted by Emmy-winning sportscaster Bruce Beck and held at the Tilles Center in early December. Thanks to the subsequent efforts of Mr. Jon Ledecky, the New York Islanders’ Public Relations staff, and Katie Ledecky’s administrative support team, a phone interview was set up.

The following questions and answers have been lightly edited for brevity and clarity, and subsequently approved by the above-mentioned staff. 

Tarmac: How did you become involved with Catholicism?

Ledecky: My mom and dad are Catholic; they wanted us to be raised in the faith. We went to church every Sunday. My brother and I attended the Little Flower School from pre-K through eighth grade. My brother then attended an all-boys Jesuit high school and I attended Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart, an all-girls Catholic high school. All of that helped confirm my commitment to my faith.

Tarmac: How did going to an all-girls Catholic high school help shape you?

Ledecky: It was a great fit for me. I really enjoyed the all-girls aspect to it and the friendships that I was able to make. The school’s values aligned with my family’s values of faith, community service, and intellectual pursuit. I went to the Olympics the summer after my freshman year. My high school supported me both at home and at the Olympics, and then helped me adjust to my new, post-Olympics life.

Tarmac: How has your faith helped you personally and professionally?

Ledecky: My faith has been a consistent presence in my life. It keeps me grounded and helps me keep perspective. I can always rely on my faith.

Tarmac: What advice would you give to someone who wants to deepen their faith?

Ledecky: The church is, first and foremost, a community. Ask for guidance from others, whether it is a teacher, a more-experienced classmate, or a member of the clergy.

Tarmac: What advice do you have for a student who is trying to balance their faith, academics, and athletics?

Ledecky: It’s definitely a challenge to find the right balance. I looked ahead at my exam schedule and my swimming and travel schedules and made sure that each received the attention it deserved by doing the right things away from the pool and the classroom so I was set up for success.

Tarmac: Which of your swimming accomplishments are you most proud of?

Ledecky: My first Olympic gold medal, because it set the tone for the rest of my career. I think the first of anything for any athlete means something very special. The whole experience in London at the 2012 Olympic Games seemed surreal.

Tarmac: What was your mindset going into the 2012 Olympics?

Ledecky: I didn’t have too many expectations. I had a lot of belief in myself but I knew that even if I didn’t perform well, I would have the chance to improve and that I could still have a big career ahead of me. I just tried to soak in every moment and learn from my veteran teammates.

Tarmac: How does that compare to the mindset you have going into the 2028 Games?

Ledecky: Much of it is the same in that I want to soak up the journey as much as I can and I want to enjoy each opportunity to compete for Team USA. Now that I’m a veteran member of the team, I hope to provide guidance and steadiness to the younger members. And the fact that it’s going to be a “home” Olympics, in Los Angeles, makes it extra special.

Tarmac: What are you most proud of as a person?

Ledecky: I think I’m most proud of the fact that I’ve been able to build several communities of friends and supporters: where I grew up, in Bethesda, Maryland; during college at Stanford; and where I’ve been training for the past four and a half years, Gainesville, Florida. Those communities, along with my family in New York and North Dakota, are very important to me.

Along with visiting sick children in hospitals, and being an Ambassador for Catholic Health, Katie Ledecky has been involved with many charitable causes, including the Wounded Warrior Project and the Jesuit Refugee Service, which helps refugees both in the U.S. and around the world. Please visit the above links to find out more or make a donation. 

Photo Credit: Catholic Health Long Island