A change of surroundings labored out simply high-quality for Katie Ledecky.
Shifting coasts and coaches after final summer season’s Tokyo Olympics, the American swimmer turned in another stellar performance on the world championships, set a pair of world data and capped 2022 as The Related Press Feminine Athlete of the 12 months, chosen by a panel of 40 sports activities writers and editors from information retailers throughout the nation.
The 2 tied in complete factors, however Ledecky obtained the nod primarily based on 10 first-place votes to McLaughlin’s 9. Basketball standout A’ja Wilson completed third.
“I do know so many nice athletes have received this honor,” Ledecky stated. “I am actually completely happy — pleased with how my 12 months went, and in addition excited concerning the future.”
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Ledecky, who received her first Olympic gold medal in 2012 at age 15, has managed to remain on prime in feminine freestyle swimming’s longest pool occasions for the higher a part of a decade.
She has held the long-course world document in each the 800- and 1,500-meter free since 2013, not often going through a severe problem in both of these grueling races.
At this 12 months’s world aquatics championships in Budapest, Hungary, Ledecky touched first within the 800 by greater than 10 seconds and received the 1,500 by practically 15 seconds. She additionally claimed gold within the 400 free and was a part of the successful U.S. staff within the 4×200 free relay.
Earlier than 2022 was executed, Ledecky added two extra world data to her ledger. She set short-course marks in each the 800 and 1,500 every week aside — regardless that she not often competes within the 25-meter pool.
However the actual enjoyment for Ledecky comes when nobody is cheering her on, when it is simply her and her coaches and teammates, placing within the lengthy, lonely hours of coaching.
“I is perhaps one of many few swimmers who loves the coaching much more than the racing,” she stated. “Do not get me improper: I really like the racing, too. However I really take pleasure in going to observe day by day. I am excited after I go to mattress for observe within the morning.”
Her prime precedence was getting nearer to her household within the Washington, D.C., space. She was intrigued by this system that Anthony Nesty, a rising star within the teaching ranks, had constructed on the College of Florida.
“It has been loads of enjoyable day by day,” she stated. “That is the best place for me to be at this level in my profession. I am coaching rather well and studying rather a lot alongside the way in which.”
The shift to Nesty and a program the place she normally trains with the boys appears to have pushed the 25-year-old Ledecky to even better heights.
Nesty stated one in all his major challenges is ensuring Ledecky would not prepare too arduous.
“She wants to know that after you become old, the physique is completely different,” the coach stated. “I’ve to inform her, ‘Katie, you’ve obtained perceive you are not 18 anymore.’ The physique will get drained. When it will get drained, it is OK to throttle again slightly bit.”
Shifting to Florida has led to different modifications.
At all times a bit reserved, Ledecky now appears much more keen to talk up — even holding her personal in good-natured trash speak together with her male teammates, in accordance with Nesty.
“This group is a really aggressive group, a enjoyable group and, at occasions, fairly chatty,” he stated. “It appears to have made her fairly chatty. You have gotta be with our group. I believe our group has sort of made her come out of her shell slightly bit.”
“Guys are guys. They like to trash-talk with one another,” she stated with a smile. “I am going to poke slightly enjoyable on the among the guys, give them slightly push right here and there. I’m undoubtedly fairly snug on this atmosphere now.”
Ledecky tackled a brutal program on the Tokyo Video games, the place girls competed within the 1,500 free for the primary time. As anticipated, she swept the 800-1,500 double however got here up quick to Australian rival Ariarne Titmus in two shorter freestyle occasions.
It was the primary time Ledecky didn’t win a medal in an Olympic race.
“There have been some issues I might’ve appreciated to be higher in Tokyo,” she conceded. “But additionally, I used to be actually stretching myself, I used to be swimming 1,500 on the Olympics for the primary time, whereas additionally swimming the 200 free. The occasions have been even on the identical day, which is one thing I do not suppose anybody else was doing. It was a problem I had set my thoughts to for a few years, one thing I wished to tackle. I do not remorse taking that on.”
The fifth-place end was actually an anomaly in Ledecky’s stellar profession.
Over three Olympic appearances, she has claimed seven gold medals and three silvers. On the biennial world championships, Ledecky has piled up a staggering 19 gold medals together with three silvers.
She has each intention of going sooner.
Ledecky is concentrated squarely on the 2024 Paris Video games, the place she’ll doubtless compete in at the least 4 occasions. She even is glimpsing forward to her home-country Olympics at Los Angeles in 2028.
She’ll be 31 by then however sees no motive why she will’t keep on prime.
“I am all the time setting new targets for myself,” Ledecky stated. “I benefit from the course of increasingly yearly. What it takes to remain at this stage. What it takes to proceed to have your eyes set on one thing that is a few years away.”
Paul Newberry is a nationwide sports activities author for The Related Press. Write to him at pnewberry(at)ap.org
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