A lot has changed since Katie Ledecky started her Olympic journey in 2012. Her teammates have shifted from Michael Phelps, Missy Franklin, and Ryan Lochte to Nick Fink and Ryan Murphy. She has also won 10 Olympic medals over three cycles and is ready to win more this year in Paris. Katie Ledecky, who made waves at her first Olympics at age 15, was ahead of her time in more ways than one. Alongside her record-breaking performances, Ledecky embraced trends that would later define Gen-Z athletes. 

Her forward-thinking approach and dedication set her apart as a trailblazer. Yet, some things have stayed the same and even grown more beloved, like the flip phone Ledecky carried to her first Games. These nostalgic devices, once abandoned for sleek smartphones, are making a comeback. This generation can’t get enough of the ’90s feel and the nostalgia they bring.

Embracing innovation, Katie Ledecky led the way in more than just the pool

USA Swimming’s Twitter post on July 26, 2024, revealed how Katie Ledecky was following trends even before they were a thing. In a clip taken from an interview with US Olympic Swimming Team captains Katie Ledecky, Ryan Murphy, Nick Fink, and Abbey Weitzeil from their training camp in Croatia, Ledecky says “I had no idea what to expect” about her debut Games. The tweet was captioned, “Katie Ledecky really had to bring her brother’s flip phone to her first Olympics 😅”. Ledecky further explained how she was only 15 and had been out of the country once before her first Olympics. “I don’t think I even had a cell phone really. I think I brought my brother’s cell phone,” said Ledecky much to the amusement of her peers.

In London, between swim meets, she went out and bought an iPad to communicate with her parents and coaches, so she “had like this ipad and then like a flip cell phone that was [her] brother’s with all his contacts on it.” She joked, “things have changed a little bit since then.” Interestingly, flip phones are making a comeback.

According to a report by CNN on January 16, 2023, Gen-Z just can’t get enough of the vintage style and nostalgia around flip phones. This relic from the mid-1990s has unexpectedly surged in popularity among millennials, capturing the nostalgia of a bygone era. Gen Z is accustomed to the many features of smartphones, such as Instagram, Find My Friends, and GPS. However, relying on these devices also raises safety concerns.

Moreover, they often don’t come equipped with social media apps, which allow people to disconnect from the noise of those apps. Celebrities like Camila Cabello and Dove Cameron have already spoken about how they’re “team flip phones.”

Moreover, companies are building regular smartphones in the flip phone style, so you can get all the perks and also the trendy design. However, for Katie Ledecky, who started her Olympic journey in 2012, a flip phone was just the norm.

7X gold medalist journey to triumph with forward-thinking innovation

Katie Ledecky has amassed over 7 Olympic gold medals. She first made her Olympic debut in 2012 during the London Games, where she won the 800m freestyle event with a time of 8:20.68. Later, in the Rio Games, she won the 200m freestyle with a time of 1:53.73, the 400m freestyle with 8:04.79, and the 800m freestyle relay with a team time of 7:43.03. She racked up 4 gold medals during that year. Her repeated podium finishes made her one of the most respected swimmers of this generation.

In 2021, at the postponed Tokyo Games, Katie Ledecky scored gold in the 800m with 8:12.57 and 1500m freestyle with 15:37.34. The 1500m was the first time a woman had participated in the event at the Olympics. As part of her routine, she does strength, weightlifting, and dryland exercises to improve strength and endurance. She has also relocated to train in Gainesville, FL under Anthony Nesty among elite athletes. This has paid off, as during the 2024 Olympic team trials, she won the 200m, 400m, 800m, and 1500m events. In the last one, she posted a time that was the 19th fastest in history with 15:37.35.

During the upcoming Olympics, Katie Ledecky will face fierce competition from one of her biggest rivals, Ariarne Titmus. Titmus, a formidable swimmer from Australia, has consistently challenged Ledecky’s dominance in recent years. The two have developed a compelling rivalry, with Titmus edging out Katie Ledecky in several key races. Despite this, Ledecky remains determined and focused, bringing her unmatched skill and experience to the pool.

Will Katie Ledecky maintain her dominance and add more gold to her collection, or will Titmus prevail in this highly anticipated showdown?