Anyone scanning the list of Friday's Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients would find the usual parade of senior government officials: 76-year-old former Vice President Al Gore, 80-year-old former Secretary of State John Kerry, and 84-year-old former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, to name just a few.
And then there was swimmer Katie Ledecky, 27, who the nation "watches ... in awe" as a White House release phrased it.
"It was pretty surreal," Ledecky told Sports Illustrated of the honor bestowed upon her Friday by President Joe Biden. "Just listening to all the accomplishments and all the impact that all of these individuals have made on our country was pretty inspiring. I think being young still, it does inspire me to continue to work really hard, both in the pool and out."
