Katie Ledecky received the Presidential Medal of Freedom!
The 27-year-old Olympian, the most decorated female Olympic swimmer in history, will now add to her collection the highest medal awarded to a U.S. civilian.
She was one of 19 people to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Joe Biden during a ceremony in Washington, D.C., on Friday, May 3. Her medal is awarded to “individuals who have made exemplary contributions to prosperity, values and society.” U.S. security, world peace, or other important social, public or private endeavors,” the White House said in a statement.
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“Don't let age get in the way of you. Katie, age is just a number,” the 81-year-old Biden told Ledecky in a speech before giving him the honor, adding that she is preparing for her fourth Olympics and her second. compared his groping to. Term of office.
The swimmer accepted the honor in a black and white floral skirt paired with a black suit jacket and sat next to fellow honoree John Kerry.
Olympian Jim Thorpe, who won the decathlon and pentathlon in 1912 and became the first Native American to win an Olympic gold medal, was posthumously awarded that honor. He died in his 1953 year.
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“Having grown up in this area, I know what a great honor this is,” said Ledecky, who was born in Bethesda, Maryland. washington post. “I feel very connected to this area. I know this is a national award, but it feels almost local to me. I have to go home for a few days for this. No, this is my community.”
Ledecky made her Olympic debut at the 2012 London Games at age 15 and has since won seven gold medals and three silver medals. She became an Olympic champion in all swimming distances from 200 meters to her 1500 meters.
Additionally, this athlete has won 16 world championship titles in the sport, making her the most decorated world champion swimmer of any gender.
Ledecky, who hopes to qualify for the 2024 Olympics at the Olympic Trials in June, recently spoke to PEOPLE about how he's preparing for his fourth Olympics.
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“I train hard. I'm in the pool 10 times a week. I'm in the weight room five times a week. I just put in the time and try to get better in training. And… “I go to a game about once a month,” she said.
Other recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2024 include Michelle Yeoh, who made history in 2023 as the first Asian woman to win the Academy Award for Best Actress. Opal Lee, activist who helped make Juneteenth a national holiday. and Ellen Ochoa, the first Hispanic woman in space and the second female director of NASA's Johnson Space Center.
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Ledecky is the latest athlete to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Biden. In 2022, gymnast Simone Biles earned this honor.
