FUKUOKA, JAPAN: At just 26 years old, Katie Ledecky has already solidified her place as one of the most exceptional freestyle swimmers of all time. Renowned for her incredible talent and unwavering determination, she continues to push the boundaries of what is possible in the water. Recently, Ledecky made history at the world championships by securing her sixth gold medal in the 800-meter freestyle, a feat that has never been accomplished before.
With her latest achievement, Ledecky has surpassed legendary swimmer Michael Phelps to become the swimmer with the most individual world titles. Now, with an impressive tally of seven Olympic gold medals, she stands just two medals away from tying with the second-place position in Olympic history, a remarkable feat shared by some of the greatest athletes like Larisa Latynina, Mark Spitz, Carl Lewis, and Paavo Nurmi. Notably, her total of ten Olympic medals puts her only two medals behind the second-place position in swimming, an esteemed record shared by Natalie Coughlin, Ryan Lochte, Jenny Thompson, and Dara Torres. Meanwhile, Phelps remains unmatched in the Olympic record books, holding both the remarkable records of 23 gold medals and a total of 28 Olympic medals. Beyond his accomplishments in the pool, Phelps is also a happily married man.
Who is Michael Phelps' wife?
Michael Phelps is happily married to Nicole Johnson. They got engaged in February 2015 and tied the knot in a private ceremony in June 2016. Johnson is a former Miss California USA and has been a steadfast and supportive partner to the legendary Olympic swimmer throughout his illustrious career. Together, they have a son named Boomer.
'It's an honor'
Earlier, on Tuesday, July 25, Ledecky achieved a remarkable feat by tying Phelps' record in the world championships when she secured her fifth victory in the 1,500-meter freestyle race. "I know Michael, I know how many events he swam at meets like this," Ledecky said in a poolside interview, per CBS News. "It's an honor to even be in that same sentence." "I've never even dreamt of even coming to meets like this, so to be here and to have been to a bunch of world championships is amazing," she added. "It is always a battle, it is always a great race. So I know I have to bring my best every single time."
'I’m pretty tough on myself'
In addition to holding world records in both the 800 and 1,500-meter freestyle events, Ledecky recently achieved a winning time of 8 minutes and 8.87 seconds. Despite it being the seventh-fastest time she had ever swum, it fell just short of her high standards in her favorite event. “I'm just always trying to think of new ways to improve. I mean I’ve already got everything turning in my head right now. I kind of wanted to be better than I was tonight," she told 11 Alive. "I’m pretty tough on myself," she said. "But I think I have found the balance of being tough on myself but also having that grace."
The 800-meter freestyle marked Ledecky's second individual gold medal, coming right after her victory in the 1,500-meter freestyle on Tuesday. She also secured a silver medal in the 400-meter freestyle. "It's fun to leave a meet with your favorite event, and I just wanted to leave it all in the pool," Ledecky said. Li Bingjie of China secured the silver medal with a time of 8 minutes and 13.31 seconds, while Ariarne Titmus of Australia won the bronze with a time of 8 minutes and 13.59 seconds.
