Only minutes after the closing session of the 2016 U.S. Paralympic Trials, Team USA star Ian Silverman announced over Facebook that he intends to withdraw his name from consideration for the Paralympic selection process for Rio.
Silverman currently owns eleven American Records for the S10 classification for long course meters, which includes all distances of Freestyle from the 50 to the 1500, all three butterfly events (50, 100, 200) and both the 200 and 400 IM. Three of those are also World Records, listed as 4:03.57 for the 400, 8:35.69 for the 800, and 16:19.70 for the 1500 meter freestyles.
The Team USA roster will be announced Sunday morning, July 3rd, at special meetings offered first for athletes at 9am and then for the public at 11am.
In Silverman’s Facebook message he describes the circumstances that brought him to make this decision. The complete text of his heartfelt social media post is copied below:
“After a lot of thought and support from my family, friends, and coaches I have decided to withdraw my name from consideration for the 2016 Paralympic Games. I feel like I am not healthy enough to represent the United States in a way that I could be proud of. In April of 2015 I was classified out of Paralympics and it was a huge shock and disappointment, but if that not happened I would have never elected to have surgery to reconstruct my left foot, a surgery that has dramatically improved my quality of life. The surgery took a huge toll on my body and only 6 month ago I was still learning how to walk properly for the first time in my 20 years of life. Without the support of my coaches, trainers and teammates I would have never made it back this far, and I can never thank them enough for pushing me and being patient with me. The Paralympics is vehicle of hope and a demonstration of overcoming obstacles. Being classified back into Paralympics this past June is something that brought me much joy and validation and I will always be proud to have been apart of the Paralympic movement. I am grateful for the opportunities the Paralympics afforded me and I am so grateful to the tremendous athletes and others that I met as a result of participation in this movement.
I can not wait to see how great Team USA performs in Rio on the world stage they rightfully deserve.
God Bless the USA and Fight On forever.”
The video below is of Silverman’s final race of the 2016 U.S. Paralympic Trials, where he won the S10 classification in 55.50. Ian is in lane four, which is second from the bottom of the screen.
That’s too bad, he used to teach my swim lessons.????
Be well, Ian. Your health is the most important thing!
That had to be a tough decision. Best of luck to him.
the Gold is being able to walk. FFS – go dance man!
Most unfortunate
Well I’m really sorry to hear this but he is so accomplished and is a star. A great competitor and USA citizen. Best wishes for continued success.
Yup. I am a new fan as if this weekend. I am sure he did not take this decision lightly but damn I am glad I got to see him swim at trials. Hard to imagine him not being in Rio.