Look At This Photo Of 9-Year-Old Katie Ledecky Getting Michael Phelps' Autograph

Now, they're both Olympic champions.

Long before Katie Ledecky started racking up her own Olympic gold medals, she looked up to another legend of U.S. swimming.

ESPN reporter Darren Rovell shared this photo on Tuesday, courtesy of the Ledecky family, showing a young Katie getting a quick autograph from none other than Michael Phelps.

Phelps and Ledecky each hail from the Maryland-Washington, D.C., region, so perhaps there is something in the water down there.

Of course, both swimmers have been tearing up the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. Phelps, 31, brought his gold medal count for the Rio games up to three on Tuesday with victories in the 200-meter butterfly and 4x200-meter freestyle relay. Ledecky, 19, claimed her second gold medal in Rio with a victory in the 200-meter freestyle.

Not bad for the two elite athletes, who 10 years later are still posing for pictures together.

Michael Phelps and Katie Ledecky at Olympic swim trials in July.
Michael Phelps and Katie Ledecky at Olympic swim trials in July.
Tom Pennington via Getty Images

For more Olympic coverage:

Before You Go

LOADINGERROR LOADING

Popular in the Community

Close

What's Hot