NORTH KANSAS CITY, Mo — Madden Lowrey, an eight-year-old from Kansas, is going viral after Olympic swimmer Katie Ledecky waved at her following the 1500-meter race.
Below is her reacting to the wave after the event in Paris.
“She hops out of the pool, and everyone is obviously going crazy — it was a new Olympic record," Christina Lowrey, Madden's mother, said. "She’s walking sort of back to the athlete area, gives the crowd a wave, and looks right at Maddie. And Maddie just lost it."
The mom and daughter duo traveled to the Olympics to witness history, but little did they know, Madden would become a part of it.
“It just kept getting bigger and bigger and bigger, like all off a sudden it was on ESPN or it was on Sports Illustrated," Christina Lowrey said.
The moment made big waves on social media, but this may not be the last time people get a glimpse of her on air.
Madden Lowrey is a swimmer herself and hopes to beat Ledecky one day at the summer Olympics.
“All I know is that I’m literally better than everyone that's my age at it," Madden Lowrey said.
Her mom hopes Madden’s new stardom will become a defining moment in her career.
“I mean how can it not be? To be noticed by the greatest swimmer of our time, especially the greatest female swimmer of our time, is such an amazing role model,” said Christina Lowrey.
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