Earlier this month we let you know that Montgomery County’s very own Katie Ledecky finished the 1500m with a time of 15:29.64 and now now owns all of the top 15 times ever recorded in the event. Now, Ledecky has become the first person to win five world titles in two different events and she has tied Michael Phelps for the most individual world golds in swimming with 15.
Ledecky won the 1500m freestyle by a whopping 17.04 seconds at the world championships in Fukuoka, Japan, on Tuesday. According to NBC Sports, “It was Ledecky’s best time since lowering her world record to 15:20.48 in 2018, a welcome sight after moving from Stanford to the University of Florida after the Tokyo Olympics.
She was raised in Bethesda, where she attended Little Flower School through eighth grade and later attended high school at Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart, where she graduated in 2015.
Introducing the 2023 women's 1500m free world champion. 🇺🇸🥇
The national anthem of the United States plays for Katie Ledecky after winning her 20th career world championship gold medal. #AQUAFukuoka23 pic.twitter.com/5Hw729oCZb
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) July 25, 2023