Yesterday, Katie Ledecky - one of the most decorated swimmers in U.S. history - did something she had never done. She lost a race for the first time in the three Olympic games at which she has competed.
Until last night, Ledecky had won every competition she had entered and also every qualifying heat. Let that sink in.
However, all great things must come to an end, and last night the Australian swimmer Ariarne Titmus bested Ledecky by a little less than one second. This was the second straight win for Titmus over Ledecky - the last occuring in the 2019 World Championships. However, since that loss, Ledecky had made significant progress in closing the gap and actually led Titmus for 350 of the 400 meters in last night's race. Nonetheless, Titmus turned it on in the final lap and was victorious.
Undeterred, Ledecky got back in the pool and set an Olympic record in another event - the 1500 meters, or marathon of Olympic swimming - today. She is in the final of that event and has two other events, all of which she is expected to win.
Ledecky took her first Olympic loss in stride and acknowledged that she had swam a great race. It was just that her opponent swam an even better one. What an amazing, healthy attitude!
What Ledecky did not say in her loss to Titmus, who is now queen of the 400 meter freestyle, is that this was Ledecky's third Olympics. Ledecky also did not mention that she has been studying at Stanford full time these past five years in addition to training in her free time. Ledecky made no excuses because champions do not make excuses. Champions understand that one cannot win every race, but that does not stop them from trying! Go Katie!
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