By CatholicVote | Created at 2024-10-22 22:37:29 | Updated at 2024-10-23 22:31:40
23 hours ago
CV NEWS FEED // Katie Ledecky, the most decorated U.S. female Olympian, fondly recalled her roots at a Catholic high school school in Maryland during an October 17 event to honor her achievements.
The Catholic Standard reported that Maryland’s Montgomery County, home to the famous swimmer, honored Ledecky by declaring October 17 “Katie Ledecky Day.” County officials also gave an honorary name to the road outside her high school alma mater, Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart, calling it “Katie Ledecky Lane.”
At the event, Ledecky said the education she received at Stone Ridge prepared her very well for college at Stanford University and participation in international sports.
Ledecky competed in her first Olympics in 2012 as a rising sophomore at Stone Ridge, winning her first gold medal in the women’s 800-meter freestyle at just 15 years old. She went on to compete in the 2016 and 2021 Olympics, and her performance at the 2024 Olympics earned her four medals — two gold, one silver, and one bronze.
Ledecky has 14 Olympic medals, nine of them gold, making her the most decorated U.S. female Olympian in history.
Maryland Governor Wes Moore, a Democrat, stated in a press release that “Katie Ledecky has cemented her legacy as one of the greatest swimmers of all time and the most dominant female athlete to ever compete in the Olympics.”
“Every time she returns home from competition, she comes back to a state that couldn’t be prouder of her,” he added. “Her impact on Maryland is truly immeasurable — countless children across the state will aspire to greatness because of her example.”
Other government officials praised Ledecky as a role model for young people, with Democrat Congressman Jamie Raskin noting that she is “promoting women’s equality in sports and beyond.”
Meanwhile, Catherine Ronan Karrels, the head of school at Stone Ridge, noted that the honorary sign renaming the road in front of the school will remind students, faculty, staff, and passersby of “our collective pride in Katie’s exceptional accomplishments and her admirable character.”
“Her foundation started right here, and this sign will be a daily reminder that the persistence and self-discipline she models can inspire all of us to pursue our own goals,” she said, later adding that the school has been “blessed by a journey with Katie that has allowed us to participate in and bear witness to her growth as an athlete, a leader, a deeply caring community member, and a representative of our local community and our nation.”
CatholicVote reported in August that Ledecky has been open about her Catholic identity, sharing that the faith is important to her and that she prays a Hail Mary before each race. She has been observed to have a devotion to the corporal works of mercy, “including advocating for refugees and volunteering at her high school,” CatholicVote reported.
Aleteia additionally reported that Ledecky has shown outstanding humility in “her welcoming attitude toward every swimmer on the team, no matter how new they were to the sport.”
