I'm feeling really good at this point. I couldn't be more excited, as long as I'm feeling really good in practice and confident about my swims I should be in a good shape going into worlds.

Katie Ledecky

Categorized in : Sports

You are always racing against the other swimmers, but I always try to just focus on what I'm doing and how I want to swim my races.

racing focus swim

I hope that young girls will have the dream and will have experiences. And it might not be in swimming. It might be in something else. But I found a passion, and I love it. It's something I love and something I enjoy. It's something I'm good at. And it's what I have been able to give 100 percent to.

passion girl dream

And if I'm ahead, I can sometimes tell. It might mean I'm having a good swim, but pretty much, I'm just focused on how fast I'm going, how fast I'm feeling, and pretty much block everything out, the sounds, the sights, just kind of listen to the rhythm of the water, and just maintaining the same stroke, the same rhythm, the same tempo, and thinking about how I want to get my hand to the wall.

wall block mean

I try to make the good days great and take something positive from the days I'm not feeling good - work on technique or something like that.

good-day feel-good feelings

I always just focus on what my own goals are, and not what anybody else's goals for me are or their expectations. I just know that my family will always be supporting me and my friends and my coaches. And as long as I put in the hard work and know that I'm giving it my best effort, I will always be happy.

hard-work giving long

My faith has always been important to me. It defines who I am. by Katie Ledecky

My faith has always been important to me. It defines who I am.

I think Rowdy Gaines actually said something like: Katie Ledecky doesn't swim like a man. She swims like Katie Ledecky.And that was a good comment. I swim the way I swim. And I take it as a compliment when somebody says I swim like a man, because, as you said, my stroke is kind of taken after what some of the male freestylers have done. But I'm just trying to go as fast as I can go.

taken men thinking

I know that she's going to regroup and get ready for the relay and then her 200 back, and I know both those races will be good for her.

I was prepared for it and it did hurt a lot, but I got the job do... by Katie Ledecky

I was prepared for it and it did hurt a lot, but I got the job done and it feels really good.

I slept well last night, the 200m is a different animal... it's m... by Katie Ledecky

I slept well last night, the 200m is a different animal... it's more of a sprint for me.

I'm just focusing on Kazan. I'm definitely not looking past Kazan right now, in terms of where I am now compared to last year, it's hard to compare.

I would encourage you to set really high goals. Set goals that, when you set them, you think they're impossible. But then every day you can work towards them, and anything is possible, so keep working hard and follow your dreams.

dreams day you work

I'm just maintaining the same mindset that I had going into the 2012 Olympics and Olympic trials, which is just, whatever happens, happens.

whatever mindset trials happens

It's always great to see young swimmers and their excitement and the joy that they have in the water.

great see joy water

I think we have the approach that every race is a sprint. Some races are just longer sprints than others.

others some think race

When I was six, right before I started swimming, we went to a national competition here in Maryland and watched Michael Phelps swim, and I got to meet him afterwards, and I got his autograph. Fast forward nine years, and I'm at the Olympics with him, and it's like: 'Woah.'

meet like swimming competition

There are a lot of young swimming fans that are on Instagram, so I try to respond or post things that they like.

try things swimming fans

I felt so relaxed. It just felt very easy, and that's why it surprised me that I had broken my world record.

me broken easy world

It's kind of a loping stroke. It's not the prettiest stroke. But it's what's most efficient for me. And I think I kick a little more than most swimmers do.

kick more think me

I think the beauty of Catholicism is its consistency through both successes and difficulties. I've counted on my faith to give me strength through both training and competition - but also in school, with my family and everyday life.

family strength beauty life