Bethesda’s Katie Ledecky made history in her final race of the 2024 Paris Olympics, winning the women’s 800m freestyle for the fourth consecutive Olympics. She ended with two gold, one silver, and one bronze medal in 2024, and took to Instagram to send her well wishes to fellow Marylander Kevin Durant as the men’s basketball team aims for a gold medal.
Ledecky has a total of 14 Olympic medals (9 gold). She is also the most decorated American woman, most decorated female swimmer, and fifth most decorated athlete in Olympic history. She was raised in Bethesda, where she attended Little Flower School through eighth grade and attended high school at Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart, where she graduated in 2015.
Durant is from nearby Prince George’s County. He grew up in Seat Pleasant and played at the Seat Pleasant Activity Center as a kid with dreams of making it to the NBA. Durant attended middle school at Drew Freeman Middle School. He finished his high school basketball career at Montrose Christian in Rockville before moving on to Texas and then the NBA.
Kevin Durant is now the United States’ all-time Olympic scoring leader (men’s or women’s basketball) after passing Lisa Leslie (women’s basketball) during Team USA’s 122-87 quarterfinals route of Brazil on Tuesday. Durant will have Ledecky behind him as he shoots for his fourth gold medal with Serbia up next in the semifinal on Thursday. Photo courtesy @KatieLedecky via Instagram story.
