Katie Ledecky swimming in the pool

Katie Ledecky Takes Swimming To The Next Level With Milk Balancing Act

Home / Sports / Katie Ledecky Takes Swimming To The Next Level With Milk Balancing Act

By Kelly Coffey-Behrens on June 21, 2024 at 4:00 PM EDT

Olympian Katie Ledecky, 27, is, again, impressing the sports world, but not by winning another Olympic gold medal.

Ledecky began leaving a legacy at the age of 15 when she made her Olympic debut at the 2012 London Games, where she won gold in the 800-meter freestyle. She has since competed in the 26 and 2020 (held in 2021) Olympic Games, winning seven gold medals and three silver medals.

As if winning seven gold medals wasn't enough, the video of Katie Ledecky’s amazing milk-balancing swim act is making its rounds on social media, leaving sports fans impressed all over again.

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Katie Ledecky’s Amazing Pool Trick

Katie Ledecky takes a selfie in the pool
Instagram | Katie Ledecky

In 2020, Katie Ledecky shared a video on social media of herself balancing a glass of chocolate milk on her head while swimming the length of a pool. Originally part of a Got Milk? campaign, the impressive trick is now going viral on social media once again, showing that fans haven’t forgotten about it.

The viral video clip shows the Olympian swimming a freestyle lap with flawless technique, and maintaining perfect balance and composure to prevent the glass from falling. The milk remained untouched throughout the swim.

On the one hand, it's to be expected from a seven-time gold medalist, but fans still find it hard to believe.

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Balancing Act Meets Olympic Swim

Katie Ledecky takes a selfie in the pool
Instagram | Katie Ledecky

Years after the video was created, fans shared it on social media again. "This video of Kathleen Ledecky balancing chocolate milk on her head while swimming is more impressive to me than her seven Olympic gold medals," the X user wrote alongside the viral clip.

Many other social media users responded to the impressive stunt, with one individual pointing out, "She currently holds the top 18 times in the world for the women's 1500m freestyle. Truly in a league of her own."

Another sports fan expressed, "This is a great demonstration about how to have good form in swimming. You need to keep your head down to reduce resistance. Your arms need to be tight as it re-enters the water."

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"It's often hard to understand how incredible these athletes really are, tests like this put it into perspective," another X user said.

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Watch The Olympian’s Unbelievable Milk-Balancing Swim

The comments did not stop there, as several other X users expressed their respect for the Olympian. "Just absolutely incredible," one fan said.

"Wow !! Just Impressive," another wrote.

One social media user said Ledecky has "Unreal talent."

The Olympian previously released a memoir, "Just Add Water," where she opened up about her life, including her constant battle with POTS, also known as postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome.

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Katie Ledecky Opens Up About Health Battles

Katie Ledecky holding her new memoir
Instagram | Katie Ledecky

After releasing her book, Katie Ledecky revealed how "good" it feels to share her health condition with the world.

"It feels good," she told SELF. "It’s not like I was ever hiding it; it just never felt like it was something I needed to share. I’ve had it under control completely. I really just had to add salt to my diet and wear compression gear. Whenever I get sick and when I go to hot environments, I need to be especially careful to stay on top of my salt and hydration."

"I thought it was important to tell my whole story, and that was a part of my story, especially leading up to the 2016 Olympics," she continued."It was a new thing that I had to acknowledge and be aware of, something that was always in the back of my mind. I wanted to share how that’s impacted me at different points and how I’ve been able to push through that and take control of that part and live a healthy lifestyle."

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Giving Advice To Those With Health Struggles

Katie Ledecky holding a dolphin pool float
Instagram | Katie Ledecky

The Olympian does not let her health condition stop her from doing the thing that she loves most—swimming.

"The biggest thing is to trust the health professionals you’re working with," she said. "I did that and was able to figure out what helped me pretty quickly. I understand that for some people, it’s a longer process. But it’s important to stay patient and work with the people around you and make sure you have good people watching out for you, encouraging you. For instance, my mom is always reminding me to stay on my salt and hydration."

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