American Swimmer Katie Grimes Qualifying For The Olympics At Only 15 Years Old Is The Most Impressive Thing That You Will See Today

• Katie Grimes joins Katie Ledecky as the second 15-year-old to qualify for the Olympics in the 800-meter Freestyle.
• Ledecky called Grimes “the future.”
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Katie Ledecky was the youngest swimmer on the U.S. Olympic team in 2012 and 2016, but the torch of youth has been passed to another Kaite— Katie Grimes. Grimes, who turned 15 years old earlier this month, punched her ticket to Tokyo on Saturday night in the 800-meter freestyle.

Ledecky, who won Olympic gold in the event as a 15-year-old in 2012, has not lost since. She owns the 23 fastest times in history and is the clear-cut favorite in 2020 (2021) after finishing first at the U.S. Swim Trials.

The second place finisher not only shares the same name, but she shares the same age. Just over five seconds behind Ledecky, Grimes touched the wall in 8:20.36. It was the third-fastest time in the 15-16 age group’s history.

Ledecky, who has taken the young swimmer under her wing, was being interviewed after her win and called Grimes over.

“I told her after her mile the other day when she got third, ‘You’re the future,’ and I told her after that, ‘She’s the now,’” she said to the 15-year-old. “I think Katie-squared is going to crush it in Tokyo.”

After Katie Grimes became the youngest swimmer to qualify for the Olympics since Katie Ledecky, she met her team and family in the stands. Some moments are bigger than sports and this was one of them.

Grimes swims out of Las Vegas, but she’ll be packing her bags and heading over the Pacific Ocean to Japan in a matter of weeks.