2023 U.S. NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
- June 27 – July 1, 2023
- Indianapolis, IN
- Indiana University Natatorium
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University of Virginia swimmer Ella Nelson will skip next week’s International Team Trials after a post-graduation trip, but does plan to continue training toward the 2024 US Olympic Trials.
According to Virginia head coach Todd DeSorbo, Nelosn took a 3-week trip to Europe with friends after graduating from Virginia.
“(She) just got back this week, she’ll be spending the rest of the summer prepping for the upcoming season,” DeSorbo said.
Instagram photos show that Nelson was in Italy and Croatia with other graduating members of the team, including Jack Wright, Ella Collins, Charlotte Bowen, Maddie Donohoe, August Lamb, Caroline Kulp, Max Edwards, Daniel Gyenis, and Josh Fong. None of the other swimmers in that group are swimming at Trials either.
Nelson and Donohoe are both taking 5th years to compete with the Virginia varsity.
Her absence comes in spite of a big college season that built off a big long course season last summer that saw her hit several best times in yards and meters.
Nelson’s best times in long course:
- 200 breast – 2:24.80 (projected seed: 6th)
- 200 IM – 2:12.87 (projected seed: 12th)
- 400 IM – 4:43.84 (projected seed: 12th)
While American top-end quality in all three events would have made her a long shot to qualify for the World Championship team, she had a very good chance of making some international team in the 200 breaststroke (Pan Am Games).
Ella and Maddie are going to have fantastic 5th Years. Here’s hoping that UVA graduating 4th years make a European adventure an annual tradition. What a wonderful way to culminate 4 years of brotherhood/sisterhood.
Max Edwards and Daniel Gyenis came too!
Sounds like it was a fun trip! Great group of people!
Thanks August! Sounds like a once-in-a-lifetime kind of trip.