Sculptors On Standby As Pioneer Katie Ledecky Beats A Path To The Pantheon

Well, really sorry to break the news for any looking for chinks in the armour: Katie Ledecky looked to be in rude health as she celebrated the aniversary of becoming an Olympic champion at 15 years of age by strolling out as the lone star of her own press conference here in Rio and on a mission that includes golden shots over 200, 400, 800m free, 4x200m freestyle – and a possible place in the 4x100m freestyle.

Now 19, she looks and sounds like this is what she came for. A simple phrase:

“I just work hard and try my best every time I step up on those blocks. I’m very goal-oriented. I always set high goals.”

Making the Olympics was not one of them, not only as a young girl but practically up until the point she did indeed make it.

“This is the day four years ago that I won gold in London,” Ledecky reminded us all in the Samba room at the heart of Olympic city yesterday.

She broke Janet Evans‘ 23-year-old American record with an 8:14.63 victory ahead of Mireia Belmonte (ESP) and defending champion Rebecca Adlington (GBR), the double distance winner of Beijing 2008 who left the world mark at 8:14.10.

Katie Ledecky and Janet Evans – one pace in the pantheon of greats sealed, the other in the making – Photo by Peter Bick

It now stands at an indecent 8:06, the points hardly worth quibbling over. She will take each step, stroke and event at a time from Sunday to Saturday next week but hold fire with the fast and furious predictions on the clock.

Could she crack 8 minutes, came the question?

Ledecky’s answer was laced with laughter.

“I don’t know if that’s achievable. I’m getting pretty close and even though that’s not my goal, it would be a pretty big drop … but everything’s possible.”

Especially when you’re able to visualise the suprise in your mind’s eye at a debut Olympic Games at 15. In imagining what the race would be like back at London 2012, Ledecky never for a moment saw anything other than victory.

So what was she visualising now?

“I have my goals and I vusualise things to help me to achieve those goals. I’ve been feeling really good in the water these poast two weeks. I’ll just take one race at a time and the weeks’ going to go swiftly if I stick to that.”

Rio will not be like London, expectations included. Said Ledecky:

“A lot’s happened over the last four years. I had a lot of fun competing at international meets and gaining more experience. I feel more comfortable in this environment and know what to expect. That bodes well for my confidence and level of comfort on the pool deck.”

Energy management will be very different, too. London 2012: 800 free. Rio 2016: three solos, two relays, possibly.

Looking back at London, Ledecky recalled: “I went to all the swimming sessions and was cheering on my teammates. That was sort of crucial to feel I belonged at that stage. I felt like I made an impact, not like watching on TV. I’m actually in the venue screaming for my teammates.”

Now they’ll be screaming for her as a standard setter.

Katie Ledecky by PBK

The build up from an 800 free and promising other in 2012 to the big-ranger she now is was gradual but planned. It all came “naturally”, goal-setting, achieving and then working on speed with coach Bruce Gemmell in order to make the next level of goals all the more achievable.

“As I started to drop time, I realized, ‘Yeah, I can be a player in all those events on the international stage,’” Ledecky said. “I set myself up for this year. It feels great that it’s finally here and hopefully everything will go really well.”

Had her record-blazing form these past few years attracted attention of a wider audience? Were heads turning? Sure, she said:

“I think just in general, everybody on Team USA gets a little bit of a look. We all stand tall, stand proud and we’re proud to represent our country.”

In her case, tall comes in giant sizes, though feet are firmly planted on the ground:

“I just work hard and try my best every time I step up on those blocks. I’m very goal-oriented. I always set high goals. As a little girl. I never dreamed about going to the Olympics.”

The taste of speed got her hooked the moment she made the team back in 2012.

Since then, the clock and rivals have taken a battering.

As Britain’s Jazz Carlin out it when contemplating life in a world with Ledecky:

“It is tough. She’s set incredible …

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