This young swimmer already has the sportsmanship of an Olympian.
Grace Largent, 10, from Ohio, emulated her idol Katie Ledecky when she finished her swim race first and waited for her competitor to finish, reaching over the lane to shake hands.
Her dad, Dan Largent, shared the video on social media, capturing the hearts of many, including Grace’s hero -- Katie Ledecky.
When the five-time Olympic gold medalist commented on the Instagram post, “Love it! Keep it up Grace!” her dad said Grace “just about died.”
“She has been on cloud nine all day knowing ‘THE Katie Ledecky’ actually saw a video of her swimming and took the time to write a message,” Largent told ABC News.
(MORE: US soccer star Megan Rapinoe urges fans to 'watch your team')Her dad also said that Grace even dressed up as Ledecky for Halloween last year.
Thank you!! @katieledecky is her idol. She even dressed as her for Halloween this past year. https://t.co/YVD9jFNrkp pic.twitter.com/D0I313SvFT
— Dan Largent (@ofbaseball) July 10, 2019
The 10-year-old multi-sport athlete has been swimming since she was 5-years-old and currently swims competitively for the Westview Sharks and CLE Swimming.
“She swims all strokes and is the defending champion of the Southwest Swim League in multiple events,” her dad said proudly. “She is a very talented athlete and extremely tall and strong for her age, but what sets her apart is her extraordinary work ethic.”
Ledecky, 22, famously made a splash at just 15 in her 2012 Olympic debut where she won gold in the women's 800-meter freestyle.
Happy National Girls and Women in Sports Day! 🇺🇸 Swimming has allowed me to see many places around the world 🌎 and meet some awesome people! Work hard, have fun enjoying the journey, give back, and show this world what you've got 💪🏼#NGWSD pic.twitter.com/ChKGdQ8f8w
— Katie Ledecky (@katieledecky) February 6, 2019
Grace's positive attitude in the pool is something her dad said will definitely continue.
"She always waits and shakes their hand after a race," he said.
