Sanders on Ledecky: “Veteran Confidence, Cool to Watch”

Former Olympian turned TV personality Summer Sanders spoke with News4’s Dan Hellie about 15-year-old Bethesda, Md., native Katie Ledecky’s youthfulness and personality -- and Sanders would be one to know.

As a 20-year-old Olympian, Sanders won four medals at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, including two golds. The year before she had taken three gold medals and a lone silver at the Pan Pacific Championships in Edmonton and a gold, a silver and a bronze at the World Championships in Perth.

The trip to the Olympic podium in '92 would be her last -- after the Games Sanders announced her retirement. But it didn't last forever. She made a brief return to the sport, but after failing to qualify for the 1996 Games, she decided to hang up the swimsuit for good.

Sanders had only positive things to say about Ledecky, the youngest member of Team USA.

“I loved how fresh she was, yet that celebration she had after making the team was like a veteran celebration," Sanders said. "The confidence that I think she has that she knew she could do it was really cool to watch.”

“Katie Ledecky has that veteran confidence ... it's refreshing, great to see," Sanders added. "She has this youthful way about her and this excitement about the Olympic Games."

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