Katie Ledecky makes her fourth Olympic team after qualifying at trials in Indianapolis

Katie Ledecky won the women's 400 freestyle finals heat at the U.S. Swimming Olympic Trials in Indianapolis on Saturday, punching her ticket to her fourth Olympics.

INDIANAPOLIS — Swimming sensation Katie Ledecky secured her place in the Paris Olympics on Saturday, making it her fourth appearance on the U.S. Olympic team.

Competing in Indianapolis, Ledecky, a seven-time gold medalist, triumphed in the women's 400m freestyle at the 2024 U.S. Olympic swim trials, earning her spot on Team USA. Paige Madden finished second but did not qualify for Paris in that event.

"I walked out of this tunnel tonight and just took a look around and just enjoyed the moment," said Ledecky, who completed the race in 3:58.35. "We've come a long way and it's really great that you all came out to support us. It’s been an amazing first night."

In the men's 400m freestyle final, 19-year-old Aaron Shackell also earned a spot in Paris, marking his first Olympics. Shackell is the son of Nick Shackell, who represented Great Britain at the 1996 Atlanta Games.

"Ever since I learned my dad was an Olympian, I've always wanted to be an Olympian myself," Aaron Shackell said, adding that for a while he wasn't particularly good at the sport and didn't enjoy it. "It's unbelievable, to be honest."

Aaron Shackell won the men's 400m freestyle final Saturday to qualify for his first Olympics.

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For the first time, USA Swimming hosted the event inside an NFL stadium. An Indianapolis Colts red zone inside Lucas Oil Stadium was transformed into the trials' competition pool. This massive venue can accommodate 30,000 fans, allowing them to watch some of the world's best athletes compete in an event that many consider even more nerve-racking than the Olympics.

“This is way more intense than the Olympic Games because it’s so hard to make the Olympics, and you throw in this monstrosity and it’s going to put the pressure on them in a big way,” said Rowdy Gaines, three-time gold medalist and NBC Sports analyst.

 

Opening night, which was broadcast in primetime on NBC, drew an in-person crowd of about 20,000—the largest ever to witness a night of swimming, according to commentators.

Gretchen Walsh celebrates after breaking the world record in the women's 100m butterfly during the semifinal heat on Saturday.

Putting the nine-day event together took weeks, according to USA Swimming Chief Commercial Officer Shana Ferguson, who said 1.8 million gallons of water were pumped into the stadium and are constantly recirculating to keep the temporary competition and warmup pools filled.  

With more than a week to go, hundreds of elite athletes will continue fighting for the chance to represent the U.S. Some are eying their first Olympics. 

“There’s no such thing as a past Olympian or a former Olympian. Once you make a team, that last for a lifetime," Gaines said. "And that will never be able to be taken away from you.

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