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---
title: Rio 2016 Olympics: Michael Phelps, Katie Ledecky 2006 Photo
description: People are talking about a photo of Michael Phelps and Katie Ledecky meeting in 2006 at a Phelps autograph signing.
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author: Ashley Hoffman
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article:published_time: 2016-08-10T15:08:25.000Z
article:modified_time: 2026-04-13T07:35:18.394Z
og:title: See Young Katie Ledecky Meeting Michael Phelps Ten Years Ago
og:description: See proof that Michael Phelps and Katie Ledecky forged their world domination plan ten years ago
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og:image:alt: 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Swimming Trials - Day 8
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twitter:title: See Young Katie Ledecky Meeting Michael Phelps Ten Years Ago
twitter:description: See proof that Michael Phelps and Katie Ledecky forged their world domination plan ten years ago
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![](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt407118961daa20c9/6988a1d1524fc0f96edf9198/gettyimages-544500180.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9)


# See a Heartwarming Photo of Michael Phelps Giving Young Katie Ledecky His Autograph Ten Years Ago

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by 

[Ashley Hoffman](https://time.com/author/ashley-hoffman/)


## Ashley Hoffman


Aug 10, 2016 3:08 PM UTC

![2016 U.S. Olympic Team Swimming Trials - Day 8](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt407118961daa20c9/6988a1d1524fc0f96edf9198/gettyimages-544500180.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=3:2)

Michael Phelps and Katie Ledecky of the United States celebrate during Day Eight of the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Swimming Trials at CenturyLink Center on July 3, 2016 in Omaha, Nebraska.

Michael Phelps and Katie Ledecky of the United States celebrate during Day Eight of the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Swimming Trials at CenturyLink Center on July 3, 2016 in Omaha, Nebraska. Tom Pennington-Getty Images

by 

[Ashley Hoffman](https://time.com/author/ashley-hoffman/)


## Ashley Hoffman


Aug 10, 2016 3:08 PM UTC

A photo of Olympic rock stars [Michael Phelps](http://time.com/4446040/michael-phelps-swimming-olympics-rio/) and Katie Ledecky meeting ten years ago at an autograph signing has lit up the Internet.

The 2006 image showing a 21-year-old Phelps giving his young fan an autograph first appeared in a 2014 [_New York Times_](http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/27/sports/unrelenting-will-toward-victory-drives-teenager.html?%5Fr=0) profile of Ledecky, courtesy of her family. ESPN reporter Darren Rovell [posted it](https://twitter.com/darrenrovell/status/763190912637886465) Tuesday night, and it’s been retweeted 20,000 times as of Wednesday morning.

It may have seemed a tad early for the young athlete to form this world domination alliance with the world’s most decorated Olympian, but the two have become some of the most beloved superhumans in goggles to ever hit the pool, collecting so many triumphs in just a short amount of time that people suspect they’re actually sea creatures.

On Tuesday, Phelps and Ledecky won gold medals in the men’s 200-meter butterfly and the 4 x 200-meter freestyle relay (his 20th and 21st) and the women’s 200-meter freestyle, respectively.

Ledecky, who just beat the world record in the 400-meter freestyle, will compete in the 800-meter freestyle on [Thursday](http://time.com/4435148/how-watch-olympics-2016/).

She would go far, this one.

> [](https://twitter.com/darrenrovell/status/763190912637886465)

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