Katie Grimes became the first American to secure a spot in the 2024 Paris Olympics at just 17 years of age, with a top-3 finish at the World Swimming Championships in Japan.

All of the medalists at the World Championships secured spots in the Olympics by default, granting Grimes her second straight Olympics at a young age.

After spending two hours and two minutes in the water, she won the bronze and the final Olympic slot in a photo finish, smacking the board one tenth of a second before Brazilian Ana Marcela Cunha and Dutchwoman Sharon van Rouwendaal, the last two Olympic gold medalists.

“I knew it was a photo finish, so I was a little anxious waiting for those results,” Grimes said, per USA Swimming. “I was in a little bit of shock because (making the 2024 Olympic team) was such a big goal of mine. I just didn’t think it was going to come this soon.”

Grimes has already been a member of team USA, earning fourth place at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics that ended up being held in 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic. She was only 15 at the time, getting a strong finish in the 800m freestyle to kick start her career.

She is expected to be the youngest American to compete in two summer Olympics since swimmer Pokey Watson from 1964-68. Open water swimming was added to the Olympics in 2008, and she is just the second American to take part in the event after the first debuted in 2016.