Is Katie Ledecky Faster Than Michael Phelps? Answering the Burning Question of the Swimming Community Before US Olympic Trials

With 29 world records to his name, Michael Phelps was absolutely dominant. But after the ripples of his retirement, one name continues to carry forward his excellence: Katie Ledecky. Remember how she stunned everyone last year? At the World Aquatics Championships, she surpassed Phelps’ individual gold medal count.

But is she faster than him? Let us find out!

According to Swimming World Magazine, in his prime, Michael Phelps dominated the 200-meter butterfly, while Katie Ledecky remains unstoppable in the 800-meter freestyle. The Baltimore Bullet started dominating this event in 2001 and held onto it until 2012, breaking his own world record multiple times along the way. When Phelps swam the 200 fly, it was like he was in a league of his own; everyone else was just trying to keep up.

People see a similar pattern with Ledecky. Since 2012, the swimmer has not faltered in the 800 free even once. She held a 13-year unbeaten streak in the 800-meter freestyle until 17-year-old Summer McIntosh defeated Katie Ledecky in the 800-meter freestyle at the Southern Zone South Sectional Championships in February 2024. However, we cannot make a direct comparison between the 200 fly and the 800 free.

To compare them, let’s look at the numbers. Phelps’ world record in the 200 fly is 1:51.51, while the second-fastest swimmer, Laszlo Cseh, is about 1.2 seconds behind. Now, in Ledecky’s territory, the 800 free, her world record is a staggering 8:04.79, set in Rio. The next fastest swimmer, Rebecca Adlington, is almost 10 seconds behind! That’s like a whole eternity in swimming terms.

Further, let us compare their personal best timings in similar events. You would be surprised to see that Ledecky swam faster than Phelps in some events (personal best comparison):

However, because of their age difference, Ledecky still has a lot more to achieve to stand on par with Phelps. Here’s a comparison of their medals:

Reflecting on these blazing times, let’s revisit how Katie Ledecky left jaws dropping at the 2023 World Aquatic Championships, surpassing Phelps.

When Ledecky surpassed The Baltimore Bullet’s medal count

Katie Ledecky broke Michael Phelps’ record for the most individual gold medals at the World Championships by winning her 16th title in the women’s 800-meter freestyle event at the 2023 World Aquatic Championships in Fukuoka, Japan.

In the 800-meter freestyle event, Ledecky’s winning time of 8:08.87 was not only enough to secure the gold medal but also surpassed the silver medalist by a significant margin of 4.44 seconds. With her victory in the 800-meter freestyle, Ledecky became the first swimmer to win six gold medals in the same event at the World Championships.

After her achievement, she opened up, sharing, “I really didn’t even know I was going to achieve that until people started telling me. It’s cool.”

Ledecky, trailing behind Phelps by 16 Olympic golds, needs just three gold medals to rank second among all Olympic athletes, surpassing gymnast Larisa Latynina, swimmer Mark Spitz, track and field athlete Carl Lewis, and long-distance runner Paavo Nurmi.

Achieving three more total medals would also make her the top female Olympic swimmer and second among all Olympic athletes. As she prepares to secure her place in Paris at the upcoming Olympic trials, will she accomplish this remarkable feat at the Paris Olympics? Share your thoughts in the comments below!