Katie Ledecky is headed to the Olympics for the fourth time!
The 27-year-old swimming icon claimed a spot on Team USA after she won the 400-meter freestyle at the U.S. Olympic swimming trials in Indianapolis on Saturday, June 15.
“I walked out of this tunnel tonight and just took a look around and just enjoyed the moment,” Ledecky told reporters afterwards. “We’ve come a long way and it’s really great that you all came out to support us. It’s been an amazing first night.”
Inside Lucas Oil Stadium, in front of a crowd of more than 20,000, the seven-time Olympic gold medalist punched her ticket with a decisive performance in the race, finishing in 3:58.35.
The win will likely set up a Paris showdown between Ledecky and Australian Ariarne Titmus, who took the gold over the Maryland native during 400 free at the Tokyo Olympics.
Ledecky’s latest accomplishment — she became the ninth U.S. swimmer to qualify at least four times for the Olympics — was not lost on the G.O.A.T.
“I pride myself on that consistency,” Ledecky said. “Sometimes it can be tough to feel you’re not having a breakthrough. But being really consistent is something I’m really happy with. I’ve learned to really enjoy training and take advantage of the moment.”
Ledecky, whose new memoir Just Add Water: My Swimming Life debuted last week, is reveling in this particular moment in her swimming career, she recently told PEOPLE.
“I’ve been [at The University of] Florida for about two and a half years now,” Ledecky told PEOPLE. “I’ve really enjoyed it. I’ve been able to train with some of the top male distance swimmers in the country and in the world, so that’s been beneficial for my training and I try to keep them on their toes as well. And it’s just a really fun environment.”
She’s now set to return to the Summer Games, some 12 years after debuting as a 15-year-old prodigy who unexpectedly took gold in the 800-meter freestyle.
Headed into Paris, she has a new perspective on it all.
“I want to make sure that I’m being a leader for our team, both in and out of the pool and making sure that the younger swimmers feel like they belong on that team and belong at the Olympic level,” she told PEOPLE and added that she’s also concerned with making “sure that they feel comfortable and confident going out there and competing with the best in the world.”
One such young swimmer, 21-year-old Gretchen Walsh, has already made the team.
On Saturday, Walsh set a world record in the 100 butterfly (55.18) semis, making it the first time since Michael Phelps in 2008 that a world record was set at trials.
