Nevada State Bank is proud to sponsor local swimming phenom Katie Grimes, who is headed to her second Olympics this summer. Although she just turned 18, she has amassed an impressive record in the swimming world: she competed in the Tokyo Olympics at the age of 15, and in 2023 was the first American to qualify for the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics. In addition, she has won several championship medals in international competitions.
At her first U.S. Trials in 2021, Katie placed second in the 800-meter Freestyle event, earning her a spot as the youngest member of the U.S. team competing that summer. Katie Ledecky, who has won seven Olympic gold medals and 21 world championship gold medals, praised Katie’s trials performance after her third-place finish in the 1500-meter Freestyle, and then, in the 800-meter Freestyle, the 15-year-old came in second to the veteran. "I told her after the mile, ‘You’re the future. That was an incredible time,'" Ledecky told the press. “And when I got over to her after the 800, I told her, ‘Heck yeah, I mean you’re the now. You’re the present."'
Since 2021, Katie has won three medals in pool events at the World Aquatics Championships. She’s also a world-class open-water swimmer, one of the few swimmers in the world to win medals in both pool events and open-water events. At the 2023 Golden Goggle Awards in November, Katie won the Female Race of the Year award for her performance in the 10-kilometer open-water event at the 2023 Fukuoka World Championships. This not only won her a bronze medal, but also qualified her for the U.S. Olympic Team this summer.
How did it all begin? Katie, who is the youngest of seven children, grew up around swimming pools in Las Vegas, where her older brothers excelled at the sport. Being competitive by nature, Katie wanted to swim, too, and when she was old enough, she joined the Sandpipers swim team. Watching her older brother, Carter, compete at the 2016 U.S. Team Trials inspired her to try for the Olympics herself, and as she progressed through the sport, her passion for swimming grew.
In addition to physical ability and stamina, Katie had to learn mental discipline in order to succeed in her sport. “You need to be motivated and committed,” she says. “You have to focus and be mentally there the whole time, aware of what’s happening around you and with your competitors.” Katie is committed to her long-term goals, but realizes that she will face some disappointments along the way. “You need the mental strength to keep going if things aren’t turning out the way you want on any particular day,” she says. “Trust your training and trust that the process will work.”
Excellence in any sport requires drive and determination, which Katie has in abundance, but her father, Christian, says he’s most proud of her other qualities. “Katie is an old soul,” he shares. “She’s a loyal, humble, authentic, selfless young lady. She’s always striving for something better, and despite all her accomplishments, Katie is very humble. If she gets discouraged, I try to remind her to appreciate what she’s accomplished.”
When she is not breaking records in the pool, Katie enjoys her downtime in Las Vegas. Like many teenagers, she enjoys online shopping, spending time with her family, and listening to music. But she takes things to another level by making music on her own - teaching herself to play guitar and playing on her drum set. One of the passions she shares with her dad is tinkering with old cars. She drives a 1976 Toyota Land Cruiser and just purchased a 1969 Corvette Stingray, after extensive cross-country research by Katie and Christian.
Katie credits her financial smarts as coming from her parents, who have been Nevada State Bank clients for more than 20 years. Mom Shari Grimes says, “I will go out of my way to go to NSB’s Centennial Branch to see Kim Statler. She has always addressed us like friends, taking an interest in our family and what the kids are doing. All my children bank with NSB. They all opened their first account when they started college and have stayed with the bank.” Although technology adds convenience, the Grimes believe that it’s important to develop a relationship with a banker who can take the time to answer questions and help with challenges.
Katie’s approach to meeting her professional goals is to think long-term instead of short-term, and that philosophy also applies to her finances. She’s been handling her own banking since she was 15, and in December 2022 started investing her money as well. Even at her young age, she recognizes that it’s important to take ownership of her finances and save for the future. She enjoys the person-to-person banking she receives at her NSB branch, where the bankers keep track of her accomplishments and congratulate her on her success.
“Katie is a competitive swimmer with tremendous talent,” said Shirey. “We hope to rally Nevadans across the state to cheer Katie on as she competes this summer. #GoGrimesGo!”
To find out more about Katie Grimes and her journey to the Olympics, visit NSB’s Go Grimes Go web page, www.nsbank.com/gogrimesgo.