Katie Ledecky May Have Finally Met Her Olympic Match in Cookie Monster and Elmo

"This is much harder than the swimming," said Ledecky in a hilarious new video

Katie Ledecky and Elmo and Cookie Monster
Katie Ledecky and Elmo and Cookie Monster. Photo:

Sesame street/X

Katie Ledecky may have wrapped up her time at the 2024 Summer Olympics, but Cookie Monster and Elmo are ready to put her to a new test.

In a video posted on Sesame Street's Instagram and Twitter pages on Thursday, Aug. 8, the swimmer, 27, was tasked with balancing a cookie on her head.

"We here with most decorated female Olympian ever, swimmer Katie Ledecky," Cookie Monster says before Elmo excitedly explains, "We're balancing cookies on our heads."

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"Yeah, 'cause we once saw Katie balance chocolate milk on her head, whoa," adds the Cookie Monster, referencing Ledecky's viral August 2020 video in which she swam without spilling a glass of milk positioned on top of her head.

"This is much harder than the swimming," Ledecky says before the cookie falls from her head and breaks into two pieces.

After the Olympian positions it back on her head, she says that her conversation with Cookie Monster and Elmo has been her "favorite" moment of the Games before the cookie hilariously falls again twice.

Katie Ledecky of Team United States reacts after winning the gold medal in the Women's 1500m Freestyle final on day five of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Paris La Defense Arena on July 31, 2024 in Nanterre, France.
Katie Ledecky competing at the 2024 Summer Olympics on July 31, 2024.

Xavier Laine/Getty

Before the clip comes to an end, Elmo asks Ledecky what she plans to do next, to which she quips, "Probably eat some cookies."

Sesame Street, whose characters have also recently chatted with Simone Biles, Jordan Chiles, Suni Lee and other Olympians, shared the video with the caption, "Harder than swimming!? We don’t believe it! Thanks for balancing cookies with us Ms. Katie Ledecky! #ParisOlympics."

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Ledecky earned four new medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics, bringing her total Olympic medal count to 14.

Katie Ledecky of Team United States won the gold medal at Women's 1,500 m Freestyle Final on day five of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Paris La Defense Arena on July 31, 2024 in Nanterre, Paris, France.
Katie Ledecky after competing at the 2024 Summer Olympics on July 31, 2024.

Mustafa Yalcin/Anadolu via Getty

The athlete is now the most decorated female American Olympian and the most decorated female swimmer in Olympic history. She is also tied with former Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina for the most gold medals by any female Olympian.

Ledecky will be a Team USA flagbearer during the closing ceremony of the 2024 Sumer Olympics on Sunday, Aug. 11, alongside rower Nick Mead.

"I am so proud of this team’s accomplishments in Paris and excited to celebrate with my teammates on Sunday," she said in a statement.

To learn more about all the Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls, come to people.com to check out ongoing coverage before, during and after the games. And sign up for Going for Gold, our Olympics newsletterto get the biggest stories from the Games delivered straight to your inbox. Watch the Paris Olympics and Paralympics, beginning July 26, on NBC and Peacock.

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