Bethesda Native Ledecky Competes In London Thursday

With all eyes on London during the Olympics, county residents are cheering on a few hometown athletes competing in the summer games. And Thursday morning, you’ll get the chance to root for one very talented – and very young – local swimmer.

Bethesda resident and student Katie Ledecky, 15, is set to compete in the women’s 800m freestyle qualifying heat in London Thursday morning.

Ledecky, a rising sophomore, is the youngest member of the 2012 U.S. Olympic team.

To watch Ledecky compete live online, you’ll need to set your alarm – the women’s freestyle 800m heats begin at 5:19 a.m. Eastern Standard Time. If you miss it, the competition will be broadcast on NBC Washington beginning at 10 a.m.

Ledecky attended Bethesda’s Little Flower School before attending Stone Ridge. In London, she has about 10 family members cheering her on along with an “army” of Team USA swimming fans, NBC Washington reported.

"We've heard from so many people in the D.C. area, whether it's from teachers at Little Flower School in Bethesda, or Stone Ridge, or from our son's school at Gonzaga, the Palisades and Montgomery County Swim Club," Ledecky’s mother, Mary Gen, told NBC Washington. "We have heard from so many people in the whole swimming community across the whole area. We really appreciate the encouragement and support she's gotten from everyone in the Washington area. It makes us feel really good about our hometown."