“Can’t stop smiling” - 14-time Olympic medallist Katie Ledecky breaks her nine-year-old 800-meter freestyle world record

On May 3, nine-time Olympic gold medalist, Katie Ledecky broke her own record for the 800-meter freestyle. Ledecky beat her almost a decade-long 2016 Rio Olympics record by clocking at 8:04:12 at the TYR Pro Swim Series Fort Lauderdale, ahead of her previous record of 8:04:79.

As per USA Swimming, the 28-year-old swimmer now holds the top ten performances of all time in the event by clocking in ahead of second and third place finishers Jilian Cox (8:23:58) and Claire Weinstein (8:26:06).

While speaking of her world record, Katie said she "can't stop smiling",

"I can't stop smiling, it's been like that all week though, so it's not really new. It's been so many years in the making to do it tonight. It's been an incredible night. There is always a story to each world record that I set."

She also showed support to 22-year-old Gretchen Walsh, who broke the 100-meter butterfly record twice in one day,

"I think tonight is the first one I've done when another American has done it. Hats off to Gretchen for getting us rolling this morning and starting a world record party. The crowd was amazing tonight: I couldn't have done it without that. I flipped at the 750, and it was loud in here, and I just told myself I'm not letting this opportunity go to waste and started sprinting."

Ledecky's April 4 record comes after the April 30 record, when she set the second fastest ever time in the women's 1500m freestyle by clocking in at 15:24:51.

More about Katie Ledecky's achievements

28-year-old Katie Ledecky, is an American competitive swimmer and a nine-time Olympic Gold medalist. Ledecky has also won 21 world championships, setting the record for the most gold medals in the history of female swimmers.

Katie Ledecky grew up in Bethesda, Maryland, and began swimming at 6 under the influence of her older brother and mother, who swam at the University of New Mexico. She started her career at the 2012 United States Olympic trials in Omaha, Nebraska, when she made the Olympic team by winning first in the 800-meter freestyle.

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During an appearance at Raising Cane's employee appreciation conference in Cancun, Mexico, in September, 2024, Katie revealed where she hides her 2024 Paris Olympic gold medals.

Katie Ledecky, while speaking onstage, mentioned that she brought a "little souvenir" from Paris before revealing a patriotic sock where she stored her medals. Katie said she keeps them around in her socks, so she could carry them around in a little bag and "show them to as many people" as she could.

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