Katie Ledecky hopes she has another length in her.
After breaking the record as the most decorated U.S. woman to ever compete in the Olympics in Paris 2024, the swimmer gave insight into her plans for competing in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
“I’d love to swim in 2028,” Katie, who served as flag bearer alongside rower Nick Mead, told Jimmy Fallon and Mike Tirico during the Closing Ceremony Aug. 11. “I think swimming in front of a home crowd would be incredible. Just taking it one year at a time, and give my best effort each year.”
Of course, Katie, who is currently 27 and would be 31 during Los Angeles 2028, has a long time to prepare for the next summer games. At the moment, she’s basking in her four 2024 Olympic medal wins—which include two gold medals, one silver and one bronze—during an extended stay in Paris.
“This is my first Olympics where I’ve stayed the second week,” she added during the Closing Ceremony. “I got see basketball games, I got to golf. I’ve met so many athletes from so many different sports. And I’ve just been cheering my head off. Whether I’m in person or watching on TV watching the last few things today, it’s going to be a lot of fun.”
And Katie, who made her Olympics debut at 15 in London 2012, has also emphasized that competing in the Games is no easy feat—no matter how she makes it look from the water.
“It doesn’t get any easier,” she told the Washington Post after breaking the record with her eighth gold medal win July 31. “I do try to enjoy it each year. There’s different perspective that I have different years and different challenges that you face each year in training and as you get older.”
But no matter how historic her wins at Paris 2024, Katie has also made it clear she isn’t competing for the accolades—or to beat out former swimming greats like Jenny Thompson and Dara Torres, who previously tied for the record of the most medals won by a U.S. woman with 12.
“I try not to think about history very much or any of that,” she added to the Washington Post. “But I know those names, those people that I’m up with. They’re swimmers that I looked up to when I first started swimming. It’s an honor to just be named among them."
Keep reading for more highlights from the 2024 Closing Ceremony.
Zaho de Sagazan
The singer-songwriter kicked off the closing ceremony with a performance of "Sous le Ciel de Paris."
Leon Marchand
Team France's star swimmer carried the torch from Paris' Jardin des Tuileries to the Stade de France for the Closing Ceremony.
Nick Mead & Katie Ledecky
The gold medal-winning rower and the swimmer, who added four medals including two gold to her ever-growing list of Olympic accolades, served as Team USA's flag bearers.
Tara Davis-Woodhall & Trinity Rodman
The gold medalists—Davis-Woodhall for long jump and Rodman for soccer—walk into the Stade de France alongside Team USA.
Tigst Assefa, Sifan Hassan & Hellen Obiri
The medal ceremony for the final track and field event of the 2024 Olympics, the women's marathon, took place at the Closing Ceremony, with Team Netherlands' Hassan winning gold, while Assefa of Team Ethiopia took home silver and Team Kenya runner Hellen Obiri won bronze.
Golden Voyager
A Golden Voyager descents into the Stade de France during the Closing Ceremony.
Alain Roche
The Suiss Pianist played "Hymn to Apollo" while suspended into the air at the Stade de France.
Stade de France
The pyrotechnics display inside the Stade de France after the assembly of the Olympic rings.
Phoenix
The French indie rock band serenaded the Olympians with hits like "1901" and "Lisztomania"
Simone Biles & Karen Bass
The gymnastics star had a special role during the Closing Ceremony, joining the Los Angeles mayor to welcome the Games to Los Angeles for the 2028 Olympics.
Tom Cruise
The Mission: Impossible star brought his stunt A-Game to the Closing Ceremony as he dropped into the Stade de France from the open roof.
Tom Cruise
But a freefall into the stadium wasn't his only stunt as Simone and Karen handed him the Olympic flag to deliver to Los Angeles.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
As the Olympic flag touched down in the U.S.A., the rock group kicked off a trio of performances in Venice Beach.
Finneas & Billie Eilish
The siblings and longtime collaborators performed her hit "Birds of a Feather" as part of the Venice Beach concert welcoming the Olympics to Los Angeles in 2028.
Snoop Dogg
The 2024 Olympics Special Correspondent took on a second role during—rounding out the LA28 handoff.
Yseult
The French singer-songwriter performed the Frank Sinatra hit "My Way" to officially end the Closing Ceremony.
Stade de France
The 2024 Olympics officially concluded with a dazzling light show that lit up the Parisian sky.