FUKUOKA, Japan — Retirement isn’t anywhere in sight for swimmer Katie Ledecky, one of the greatest freestylers that swimming has ever seen.
Ledecky, a Bethesda native, is preparing with the American team in Singapore for the world championships in Fukuoka, Japan, starting on July 23. Speaking with reporters on Saturday, she said she has no plans to step away after the Paris Olympics in a year.
In fact, she keeps rolling on at 26 and may even be around for Los Angeles in 2028.
Ledecky has 19 gold medals from the worlds and seven from the Olympics and still loves doing what she does too much to feel satisfied.
“I can say pretty confidently that I’m not going to be done in 2024,” she said. “I just don’t see myself hanging it up after next year. I just love the sport too much right now. I can’t wrap my head around being done next year.”
Ledecky was also reminded that the Los Angeles Olympics are exactly five years away. And she did not rule herself out of those Games.
“I mean, LA is definitely in the picture,” she said. “I can’t fully commit to it at this point in 2023. But if I’m still loving it, if I feel like my body can do it. I think I would give it a shot. It’s amazing to have that opportunity to swim in the United States at an Olympics. It’s a rare opportunity, so something that I’m excited about. Whether I’m competing or not, I’ll definitely be there.”
First up for Ledecky is the most talked about race of the worlds: The women’s 400-meter freestyle, set for the first day of eight in the pool.
Ledecky, the 2016 Olympic gold medalist, faces 2021 Olympic champion Ariarne Titmus of Australia and the new star - 16-year-old Summer McIntosh of Canada, who broke Titmus’ world record in March.
McIntosh lowered the mark to 3 minutes, 56.08 seconds. All three women have held or, in McIntosh’s case, hold the world mark.
“There are a lot of great competitors in that race — of course Summer and Ariarne have been incredibly fast over the last two years, and so I know they’ll be right there. And I know there are a lot of other contenders as well.”
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