Can Katie Ledecky win Laureus Sportswoman of the Year Award? A look at the swimmer’s past year

Ledecky missed out on the Laureus award last year to Jamaican sprinter Elaine Thompson-Herah.

In light of the sheer talent stacked on that list, we take a look at Katie Ledecky's achievements over the last year and whether they'll be enough to win her the award this year.

2022 World Championships

Ledecky went to the Worlds in Budapest after a successful run at the Olympic Games the previous year. As part of the U.S. team, she competed in four events at the meet.

On the first day, the American swam in the 400m freestyle final, where she placed first with a championship record time of 3:58.15, beating young talents Summer McIntosh and Lani Pallister.

Katie Ledecky of Team United States competes in the Women's 800m Freestyle Final on day seven of the Budapest 2022 FINA World Championships at Duna Arena on June 24, 2022 in Budapest, Hungary. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)

Ledecky's second event at the meet was the 1500 freestyle. She swam against her American teammate Katie Grimes, whom she beat by 14 seconds with a time of 15:30.15, recording the seventh fastest swim in the world, behind six of her own records.

Along with Claire Weinstein, Leah Smith, and Bella Sims, the 25-year-old won gold for her country in the 4x200 freestyle relay on day five.

She swam the third-fastest split in history (1:53.67) in the event and gave her team a significant lead over Australia and Canada, who were leading before the third leg.

Ledecky's final event was the 800 m freestyle, where she, once again, won the gold medal, capping off her four-for-four at the Worlds. Her swim at the event made her the first swimmer in the history of the championships to win five consecutive titles in an individual event.

Swimming World Cup

The 2022 FINA Swimming World Cup took place in three different locations: Indianapolis, Berlin, and Toronto.

During the Toronto round of the Short Course competition, the 25-year-old swimmer won the 1500 m freestyle and broke the world record with a time of 15:08.24.

Katie Ledecky of the United States looks on after breaking the world record in the Women's 800m Freestyle final on Day 3 of the FINA Swimming World Cup 2022 Leg 3 at Indiana University Natatorium on November 05, 2022 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

Ledecky went on to win two more events during the Indianapolis round. The 400m freestyle final saw Ledecky win the competition, stopping the clock at 3:54.04. Ledecky created history once again by winning the 800 m freestyle and setting a new world record at 7:57.42.

Considering her achievements over the last year, it is safe to say that the formidable swimmer can definitely win the award this year.

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Ledecky faces strong competition for the 2023 Laureus Award

The American swimmer is one of six athletes who have recently been nominated to win the prestigious Laureus Sportswoman of the Year award. While Ledecky tops her sport, the other nominees are no less impressive.

This includes athletic stars Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Sydney McLaughlin-Leverone, the most successful woman in the history of skiing Mikaela Shiffrin, Spanish footballer Alexia Putellas, and Polish tennis star Iga Świątek.