While National Team swimmers Caitlin Leverenz and Matt Grevers may have missed the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team, they will receive a consolation prize of a trip to Hawaii this summer as the National Team representatives to the Jr. Pan Pacs team.
In what has become a standard of American swimming, USA Swimming sends senior National Team representatives and veterans along with most international junior teams to mentor and help guide those squads.
Leverenz is a 2012 Olympian and Olympic bronze medalist in the 200 IM. At the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials, after dropping her other events and putting all of her efforts into the IMs, Leverenz placed 3rd in the 200 IM final and 5th in the 400 IM final. In the former event, she was a mere .05 seconds behind the runner-up Melanie Margalis to just miss out on the 2nd spot at the Olympic Games.
Grevers is a two-time Olympian who has 4 gold medals among 6 career medals, including the 2012 title in the 100 backstroke. Like Leverenz, he just-missed the Olympic Team, placing 3rd in his best event the 100 backstroke.
The 2016 Jr. Pan Pac Championships will run from August 24th-27th in Maui, Hawaii. Swimmers born in the years 1998-2003. See the full U.S. roster for the 2016 Jr. Pan Pac Championships here.
I think that Grevers still has a chance to make worlds.
I don’t see why the fact that leverenz is a “good Christian ” has to do with the choice . so you think that someone with a different religion or a atheist couldn’t do the job . I come from France where you keep your belief in the private space.
All – I think both sides have made their point. Let’s move on from the religion debate, please.
They will be such wonderful role models for the younger swimmers
Have either stated if they will keep swimming, or retire?
Great for Matt! I can totally see him in this kind of “elder” statesman role! Excellent choice!
Grevers is a great guy to have in USA Swimming to raise the next generation! I hope he can find pride and happiness in continuing to represent USA in light of just falling short of Rio, and an opportunity like this is great for him :]
Maui sounds a lot better than Rio
This was originally offered to Tyler Clary but he couldn’t attend due to a racing event.
Awesome comment
I think Greevers is a much better person for the job anyways. Leverenz is also a great Christian leader for the kids!
Great Christian and leader for kids? That’s quite an oxymoron.
LOLLLLLL
How so?
Religion is an irrelevant point here surely
Hahahahahahahahahahaha
It’s just an opinion.. You don’t have to agree or anything.
hsswimmer merely noted that she is a a good leader and a Christian. Nothing wrong or controversial about that. It’s encouraging for people who are on this site to know she is a Christian. No one is spouting off about religion. What’s more interesting are people’s responses. That says more about them then her.
Not entirely. You don’t have to agree with the belief system, but one could say that a high % of devote Christians practice a respectable and clean lifestyle and since she’s there to basically chaperone kids it’s relevant in that aspect. That doesn’t mean non-Christians or atheists couldn’t fill the role either. For example CheatinVlad would do a good job as long as he didn’t share with the kids the PED use and his love of vodka:)
THANK YOU
How about just, “a great leader and inspiration for the kids.”
Hm. Can add Christians to “dopers” on the list of things SwimSwam commenters do not like. Interesting.
It is a little over the top to assume SwimSwam commenters are anti-Christian. Unless one knows the soul of another, it isn’t cool to make assumptions about one’s faith or belief. Just saying……