'Greatness Code' Episode 6: Katie Ledecky says she could see nothing but 'the gold' at 2012 London Olympics
Katie Ledecky stunned in the world in the 2012 London Olympics Swimming. She was 15 and not many saw foresaw her outswim fan-favorite Rebecca Adlington, the homegirl, to take home the medal. And for Ledecky, that's where it all started. It was the beginning where she felt the need to do more, to achieve more, and to make a mark in the sport. In Apple TV+'s 'Greatness Code', the champion athlete relives the 2012 Olympics.
"A lot of people think my world record races are my best races," she said. "But I still always come back to 2012 Olympics," Ledecky added she couldn't visualize anything but the gold. When asked by her coach about what the ultimate goal would be at the Olympic trials, the response was meek— "Make the Olympic team". Ahead of the 800m finals in 2012, Ledecky recollects getting a hi-five from Michael Phelps and the team in their ready-room saw footage of Phelps and Missy Franklin Johnson win.
Next up was the race and Adlington was the clear favorite while Ledecky took the lane next to her. As soon as she settled into her rhythm where everything else was slo-mo, Ledecky knew she had it in the bag as she coasted her way to winning. "I remember it being loud, the sensation of a wave of sound, things were great because I was just so excited to be there, it was just clicking," she recollected.
After London, Ledecky decided it was time to go one step ahead. "Once I had that first international experience and won one gold, I kinda told myself there's no looking back," she explained. The star swimmer has five Olympic gold medals to her tally and added 15 World Championship medals to the list making it the most by a female swimmer in history. Her list of achievements also includes holding the record in the women's 400-, 800-, and 1500-meter freestyle.
Quite simply, Ledecky's story on 'Greatness Code' is a story of self-belief and the urge to win more. All she needed was that start and once that was in, Ledecky was unstoppable.
'Greatness Code' is currently streaming on Apple TV+.
