India, Oct. 30 -- Dhinidhi Desinghu had made a greeting card for Katie Ledecky. At the Paris Olympics two years ago, the then 14-year-old Indian swimmer even found herself within a few feet of the American great.

"I saw her and I froze," Dhinidhi recalled. "I couldn't believe that that was actually her. I didn't really tell her anything. I kind of regret that now."

The card is still at home, lying in wait of a second chance, perhaps.

Paris was full of such moments for the Bengaluru swimmer. There were Olympic champions walking past her in the dining hall, sporting legends travelling on the same bus and the world's finest swimmers going about their routines at the pool, a few feet away. For a teenager who had been swimming competitively...