Stewart, Godsoe Added; Coughlin & Thoman Now Off USA Duel Roster

With the 2015 edition of the Duel in the Pool slated to take place next weekend on December 11th and 12th in Indianapolis, rosters on both the European All Stars, as well as the United States’ sides are being fine-tuned headed as the squads make their final preparations.

We already knew that Scottish breaststroker Craig Benson was added to the European roster as of last week, but we now know of two line-up switches on the American end.  The original USA Swimming Duel in the Pool roster released on October 21st had both Cal Aquatics’ Natalie Coughlin and Tuscon Ford Dealers’ Nick Thoman listed in the athletes on Team USA competing at the meet.

Now, according to the line-up just revised and published by USA Swimming, both Coughlin and Thoman are out. But Kendyl Stewart and Eugene Godsoe are now in. Stewart, from North Coast Aquatics, is on the USA National Team in her speciality the 100 butterfly, while Godsoe typically swims sprint backstroke and butterfly events. Godsoe most recently competed at the NC TAC Titans Big Southern Classic meet early November, where he registered a 47.18 in the 100y butterfly.

Both Coughlin and Thoman appear on this week’s U.S. Winter Nationals psych sheets, which USA Swimming Sports Communications Manager, John Martin cites as the reason for their dropping the Duel event. In a statement to SwimSwam, Martin said, “Both Natalie and Nick are entered in Winter Nationals this week, and opted out of competing at next week’s Duel.”