The Future: Ever Heard of Madeleine James? One Day, You Will!
Her celebration was a multi-part tale. At the finish, Madeleine James looked to the scoreboard inside Lucas Oil Stadium and smiled. The 15-year-old shook her head. There was a fist pump, and then she flashed thumbs-up and heart gestures toward Section 143 of the stands, where her family was seated.
As James exited the pool and was greeted by Elizabeth Beisel for a post-race interview, the tears started to stream down her cheeks. She took a moment to gather herself and awaited the first question.
“Maddie, you just set a world record in the 400-meter freestyle on the opening night of the 2040 Olympic Trials,” said Beisel. “And you are on your way to the Olympic Games in New Delhi. What is running through your mind?”
James giggled into the microphone, with 10 seconds of silence following. As precocious as she is in the water, James is also every bit a teenager, and this moment was beautifully revealing of that fact. Finally, after a few more laughs – mixed with some more tears – James was able to summarize her feelings with one word.
“Wooooh!!!!!”
This summer marks the fifth time the Olympic Trials have been held at Lucas Oil Stadium, and an argument can be made that James’ effort in the 400 freestyle is the finest the U.S. Olympic Trials have seen since shifting to a stadium venue in 2024. Over eight laps on Sunday night, James clocked 3:50.44 to crush the former world record of 3:51.36, set by Germany’s Theodora Wilhelmine in 2037.
James’ journey to international stardom has been unique. A year ago, a bout of tonsilitis kept the teen out of the United States Trials for the World Championships in Rome and denied her the chance to race on the global stage for the first time. Instead, that opportunity will present itself at next month’s Olympics, which will be the first held in the world’s most populous nation – India.
More intriguing is the fact that James wasn’t a swimmer until almost 12 years old, when a knee injury suffered during a Girls on the Run practice led her to the pool. Looking to maintain her cardiovascular base during the rehab process, James began working with Jennifer Robyns, a physical therapist. Robyns directed James to swimming, and a star was eventually born.
As James logged laps at the North Canyon Aquatic Complex in Phoenix, swim coach Chris Korn couldn’t believe his eyes. He watched James easily move through the water, her stroke a thing of natural beauty. A chat with James’ parents, Michael and Ashleigh, followed, and soon James was participating in another sport. Not long after, her track career was history.
“It’s not often that someone is blessed with the kind of talent Maddie possesses,” Korn said. “She has a special relationship with the water, one that’s difficult to describe. I saw her rehabbing and figured she must have had a background in swimming. When I heard she didn’t, I couldn’t believe it.”
Over the past few years, Korn has carefully crafted a training program for James, masterfully utilizing the artificial intelligence SwimAId system championed by so many Olympic medalists within the last five years. The holographic technology within SwimAId allowed Korn to maximize his swimmer’s stroke efficiency to the extent that she averaged just 27 strokes per length by the time she reached the world-record-setting level.
Korn eased James into competition, until it reached a point where challenges for his pupil needed to be enhanced. After racing at the national level for the first time as a 13-year-old, James was introduced to the USA Swimming Grand Prix Series as a 14-year-old. This year, after turning 15 in February, James has been untouchable.
Never was that more evident than on Sunday night, as James made her Olympic Trials debut. In an effort that was reflective of her idol, distance legend Katie Ledecky, James attacked from the outset, building a body-length lead by the 100-meter mark as she split 55.39. At the halfway point, she flipped in 1:53.97, a time which would have won a medal for the 200-meter event at every Olympics held before James was born.
It was appropriate that during the medals ceremony, Ledecky was called upon to present James with her gold. After Ledecky placed the medal around the youngster’s neck, James wrapped her arms around the Olympic champion. Once again, the tears started to flow.
“I loved running and thought track was going to be my sport,” James said. “I know it’s a cliché, but some things happen for a reason and I think my knee injury falls in that category. I love being in the pool. I love testing myself and seeing how hard I can push. I’m so lucky to be surrounded by caring people – my family and friends, and my teachers at school. And my coach is such a great person who wants the best for me. I’ve got more work ahead this week with the 400 IM and 200 freestyle. After that, we’ll focus on the Olympics. I’m honestly living a dream.”
The above feature is obviously a fictitious account, a piece that ran as part of Swimming World’s Future Issue. Yet, a Madeleine James is out there!
