Katie Ledecky, an Olympic athlete considered one of the greatest swimmers of all time, often speaks about her faith and her experience attending Catholic schools.
After winning her first Olympic gold medal in 2012 at age 15, Ledecky has become one of the greatest swimmers of all time. With 10 Olympic medals and 21 world championship titles under her belt, Ledecky is primed to be a top competitor at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games later this month.
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While her swimming exploits have brought Ledecky accolades around the world, those who knew the young Maryland native in her youth, when she attended Catholic schools, describe her as a bright, kind and faithful.
“Not only is she a wonderful athlete, but she is also a role model (of what) one would want a young, Catholic woman to be,” Sister shared. Rosemaron Rynn with CNA, EWTN News’ English agency. “She has become a wonderful person because of her excellent parents, her family life and also the fact that she stays close to God.”
The Sister Rosemaron, who was Ledecky’s principal at Little Flower School in Bethesda, Maryland, said Ledecky attended the school from preschool through eighth grade. “Her mother was part of the Mystical Rose Society that takes care of the altar and other things in the church,” she added.
“Katie used to help her mother from time to time with that, and I know from reading stories about her that she keeps saying that her faith is very important,” Sister continued. Rosemaron. “She has said that she prays before every event, and I think the Lord has really blessed her.”
In a 2016 interview con el National Catholic Register, Ledecky shared that she often prays a Hail Mary before each of her races, stating that “more than anything, praying helps me focus and let go of things that don’t matter at that moment. It gives me peace to know that I am in good hands.”
“I think our devotion to Mary is very beautiful,” Ledecky said. “She has a sacred role in Catholicism, and her strong faith and humility are things we can learn from.”
Humility is another attribute that Sr. Rosemaron credits Ledecky, telling CNA that “(Katie) never promoted the fact that she was so good. In fact, we were shocked when we found out that she was going to the Olympics.”
“I would arrive in the morning before school started, with my hair all wet because I had gone swimming before school,” she said. “But she never boasted about anything, ever. She was truly humble.”
Entering Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart for high school in 2011, Ledecky continued to remain “extremely grounded” and “humbly kind” amid her rise to fame, according to Stone Ridge Principal Catherine Karrels.
“There were students of all levels on our swimming team. We had Katie, who was an Olympic athlete, and students who were learning how to cross the pool,” Karrels told CNA. “One of the things he admired about Katie was that she was so inclusive and celebratory of the other children and all they could achieve.”
In addition to being a member of the Stone Ridge swim team and setting numerous records, Ledecky also participated in many of the school’s service opportunities. She volunteered as a teacher’s aide at her former elementary school, served meals to the homeless at the Shepherd’s Table soup kitchen, and helped lead Stone Ridge’s campus ministry program, among others.
“Katie really cares deeply about other people and is very focused on community and family. I think a lot of that comes from her faith that she sees dignity in everyone around her,” Karrels said. “All of these things fit with a life of faith that is based on strong values that come from her family and that were also expressed in her upbringing here at Stone Ridge.”
Ledecky has kept her Catholic training and roots close to her, often making stops to see both the Little Flower School and Stone Ridge after her Olympic exploits and achievements. As reported by Sr. Rosemaron, Katie would visit her and her other sisters, “bringing her medals and allowing us each to wear one of hers to take photos with her.”
Karrels echoed this, sharing with CNA that Ledecky has done “a great job of staying in touch with us, frequently returning to campus when she’s in town.”
“He often comes and talks to our student body and interacts with the kids. Usually when you do that, you want it to be very informal,” Karrels continued. “He likes to come back and talk to his teachers and coaches, walk the hallways and see how everyone is doing. I think she also knows how much we like for young girls to be able to see her and get to know her because she is a huge inspiration and a great role model for them in so many different ways.”
Set to compete in the 200-meter, 400-meter, 800-meter and 1,500-meter freestyle events at the upcoming Olympic Games, in two of which she currently holds the record, Ledecky, 27, is the favorite to win gold. at several of these events.
The Sister Rosemaron and her fellow Immaculate Heart of Mary sisters plan to see Ledecky and cheer her on, and the priests and congregation of Little Flower Church expressed her prayers and good wishes for the athlete as she competes in Paris.
Stone Ridge will host an Olympic Pep Rally on July 25, where more than 500 are expected to celebrate not only Ledecky, but also the school’s two other alumnae competing for Team USA in swimming: Phoebe Bacon and Erin Gemmell.
Karrels, who will travel to Paris to cheer on her alumnae and inform the Stone Ridge community, shared that “it’s amazing to have such a high representation of our alumnae.”
“I’m thrilled to be going to see Katie, Phoebe and Erin compete,” she said. “Hopefully, when they come back from the games, we can find a time for them to come to campus and tell their stories to our students, and to celebrate again all that they have accomplished and all the lessons they have learned.”
Translated and adapted by the ACI Prensa team. Originally published in CNA.
Duncan’s teeth
Gigi Duncan is currently interning at Catholic News Agency (CNA). She recently graduated from the University of South Carolina, where she studied business and communications.