Katie Ledecky, one of the most decorated swimmers in the sport, is getting ready to return to competition. Fans last saw her at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, where she finished with two gold medals, one silver, and one bronze.
Her next appearance will come at The Katie Ledecky Invitational, hosted by Nation’s Capital Swimming (NCAP) on December 14, 2025. The meet, formerly known as the Tom Dolan Invitational, holds a special place in Ledecky’s career, and now she’ll be back on deck for its latest chapter.
American Swimmer Shares Heartfelt Memories as She Prepares for the Katie Ledecky Invitational
Ledecky’s upcoming appearance at her own invitational, scheduled from December 11 to 14, will see Ledecky take on the 1650-yard freestyle on Sunday. She’ll also be joining on Saturday to meet young swimmers and sign autographs. But before diving back into competition, Ledecky took a moment to look back, sharing some of the most meaningful memories from her early days in the sport.
In her Instagram post, the 28-year-old reminisced about the years that shaped her. She recalled how watching Kate Ziegler break American records right before her eyes helped shape her understanding of U.S. distance swimming, long before she became one of the event’s greatest champions herself.
Reflecting on that full-circle moment, Ledecky wrote, “Every December from 2005-2015 (age 8-18), I swam in the Tom Dolan Invitational/the NCAP Invitational. Some of my favorite memories of my early days in the sport come from that meet. Ten years later and I’m headed back to swim an event at the Ledecky Invitational next week. @ncap_swim ❤️”
She continued, “The first few years attending that meet, I was amazed watching @katemziegler break some American Records (and thus getting to learn firsthand about 🇺🇸 distance swimming). Kate and @tom_dolan always showed such kindness. 🫶🏼”
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Now heading back to Maryland, the nine-time Olympic champion shared her excitement about returning to a place filled with familiar faces, old friends, and the energy of the next generation of swimmers coming up in the sport she loves.
Ledecky Reflects on What Inspired Her to Become a Swimmer
During an interview with Elon News Network in November, Ledecky opened up about the earliest spark that ignited her passion for the sport that would eventually define her career.
What began as simple childhood moments in the water, thanks to her mother, a former collegiate swimmer who understood the value of learning to swim at a young age, quickly grew into something much bigger.
Ledecky’s interest in the sport was immediate. She loved being on the team with her older brother and found inspiration in the older swimmers around her, recalling, “I guess it just felt right for you. I loved it.”
“I loved the individual nature of the sport but also the team aspects and the ability to set goals for myself and work toward them. I just felt at home in the water,” she said, reflecting on how the sport balanced personal challenge with team motivation.
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In the same interview, Ledecky spoke about the extensive support system that has surrounded her throughout her journey. From her parents, brother, and extended family to the coaches, teammates, teachers, professors, and neighbors who cheer for her, whether from the stands or from their living rooms, she credits this wide circle for always lifting her up.