Get to Know Katie Grimes, the Youngest US Olympic Swimmer Since Katie Ledecky

Image Source: Getty / Al Bello

When 15-year-old swimmer Katie Grimes solidified her place at the Tokyo Games by placing second in the June 19 800m freestyle Olympic Trials final, she was speechless. She finished behind two-time (now-three-time) Olympian Katie Ledecky, securing her ticket alongside an athlete she looks up to. "It's been a long time. I know I'm just 15, but it's a lot of work," Grimes said on NBC after her race. According to swimswam.com, Grimes's performance of 8:20.36 landed her third all-time in USA Swimming's 15-16 age group for the women's 800m freestyle.

Grimes is from the Sandpipers of Nevada swimming club, the former club of Olympian Cody Miller, and she's the youngest Olympic swimmer from the US since Ledecky made her 2012 Olympic debut, NBC Sports reported. "I'm super excited for training, just trying to get even better before the Games," she said in a post-competition press conference.

Grimes, who now officially has a Wikipedia page to call her own and who isn't overtly present on social media, finished third in the 1500m freestyle earlier at Trials and missed the Olympics for that event by one spot. However, she'll be at the Games for the 800m, ready to race. After their performances on June 19 — which you can watch in full ahead — Ledecky said, "Katie squared is going to crush it in Tokyo." We like the sound of that!

To learn more about all the Olympic hopefuls, visit TeamUSA.org. The Tokyo Olympics begin July 23 on NBC.