All About Katie Ledecky's Parents, Mary Gen and David Ledecky

Katie Ledecky was born to swim!

The seven-time Olympic gold medalist swimmer with 21 world championship gold medals to her name is the daughter of Mary and David Ledecky.

Ledecky — a standout Stanford University alum, who forged one of the greatest NCAA swimming careers of all time — started swimming at age six, a sport she was inspired to pursue because of her mom and brother.

Mary and David have supported Ledecky and cheered her on ever since, ultimately leading to her big Olympic debut at age 15 at the 2012 Summer Games in London. There, she won her first gold medal before placing at the 2016 Rio Games and 2020 Tokyo Games (which were held in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic).

Prior to shattering records at the Rio Olympics and finishing as the most decorated athlete at the Games that year, David spoke with ESPN about Ledecky's humbleness in terms of being an all-time swimming great.

"She doesn't think in those terms of being the biggest thing in the sport," David said of his Olympian daughter ahead of the 2016 Summer Games. "I don't get the sense of her feeling any pressure at all."

Many wins and medals later (including the Presential Medal of Freedom from President Joe Biden in May 2024), Ledecky — who is currently the most decorated female swimmer of all time — is full speed ahead to the Paris Olympics in July. "I don't take it for granted," she told PEOPLE in June 2024.

Read on to learn more about Katie Ledecky's parents, Mary and David Ledecky.

They raised Katie in Maryland

Ledecky was born to Mary and David on March 17, 1997 in Washington D.C. and raised nearby in Bethesda, Maryland. She was introduced to swimming young, having joined the local swim team at age six.

“I joined a team that was part of the Montgomery County Swim League, which is a huge league in Maryland and all these summer league teams are — they're the place where a lot of young kids start to swim and find their love of the sport,” Ledecky told PEOPLE in June 2024. “And that's what I certainly found.”

Mary is a former collegiate swimmer

Mary swam competitively for the University of New Mexico throughout her college years.

In 2014, Mary's dad (Ledecky's maternal grandfather) received the honor of having the Williston town pool named after him in North Dakota. Her grandfather was a lifelong resident of the town and a 16-year president of the volunteer Park Board.

Ledecky was asked to swim the first lap upon its opening. “It means so much to be able to swim that first lap,” she said at the time. “My grandfather loved his hometown and he loved his country. That’s why it’s extra special for me to swim at the pool dedication.”

After her collegiate competitive swimming career, Mary worked as a hospital administrator at Georgetown University Medical Center.

David is a Harvard and Yale alum

David is an attorney with degrees from Harvard University and Yale Law School. Studies were prioritized for the Ledecky family, which her father explained to ESPN ahead of the Rio Olympics in 2016.

"The way our parents believe in education, it was a no-brainer Katie wasn't going to turn professional," David told the outlet.

Ledecky's late paternal grandfather, Jaromir, came to the United States from Czechoslovakia at age 19 to study. He ultimately secured a bachelor's degree from Rutgers as well as an MBA and doctorate in economics from New York University, per ESPN.

They have one son, Michael Ledecky

Ledecky comes from a competitive family. Parents and relatives aside, her brother, Michael, is a big reason why she fell in love with swimming. "I just always enjoyed swimming with him and I think that's how I really found my love of the sport," Ledecky said in an interview in August 2015.

They are related to Jon Ledecky

David's brother is Jon Ledecky, a businessman and co-owner of the NHL's New York Islanders. As Ledecky's paternal uncle, the swimmer is a proud fan of the pro hockey team, while her uncle is a fan of hers.

“It’s incredible,” Ledecky told the New York Times of Jon in June 2021. “He’s such a great supporter and really kind of a part of our immediate family.”