Katie Ledecky now stands completely alone after another dominant Olympic Games in Paris this summer, winning the 800m and 1500m freestyles to win a record-setting ninth gold medal .
The Washington D.C. native's unprecedented success was made even more spectacular by a rather subtle admission in her June memoir "Just Add Water: My Swimming Life," revealing her longtime battle with Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, known better as POTS.
“It was…weird. I was swimming okay. But I was super inconsistent. I would have a couple of good practices, and then I would have a day or two when I had absolutely no energy," Ledecky recalled about her training before the 2016 Olympics. "Some days I couldn’t walk around without dizziness."
Heeding advice from former coach Bruce Gemmell, Ledecky consulted a specialist and described what her eventual diagnosis entailed.
“Because I have POTS, I pool blood in the vessels below my heart when I stand. My body then releases extra norepinephrine or epinephrine, which adds additional stressors on my heart, making it beat faster. Which, in turn, bring on dizziness, fainting and exhaustion.”
Ledecky joined a disproportionate number of highly-trained, female athletes that have been diagnosed with the increasingly prevalent condition. While many athletes who suffer from the syndrome are forced to retire from their respective sports, Ledecky was relieved to learn that her condition was manageable with increased sodium and monitored water intake.
The star swimmer looked no worse for wear after her diagnosis, completing her most successful Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Ledecky shattered world records in the 400m and 800m, also securing golds in the 200m and the 4x200m relay, all while declining to discuss her recent diagnosis.
“I didn’t want something quote/unquote ‘wrong’ with me to become the narrative around Rio or Team USA,” she wrote. “I wasn’t eager to become a distraction or to be distracted myself. I simply wanted to treat my condition as best I could and get back to going hard in the pool. Gradually, following doctor’s orders, I started feeling better.”
Eight years later and Ledecky has continued to achieve historic success in the water, also winning a record 21 World Championships gold medals as well. She's also gained a better handle on her POTS diagnosis and elected to reveal her condition before the Paris Games.
“It feels good,” she told SELF in an interview published in June. “It’s not like I was ever hiding it; it just never felt like it was something I needed to share. I’ve had it under control completely. I really just had to add salt to my diet and wear compression gear. Whenever I get sick and when I go to hot environments, I need to be especially careful to stay on top of my salt and hydration.”
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