USA Swimming announced yesterday the U.S. roster for the 2023 Pan American Games 10k Open Water competition. The race is slated for Sunday, October 29 in Laguna Los Morros, Chile.
Representing Team USA on the women’s side is Leah DeGeorge and Ashley Twichell, while Brennan Gravley and Dylan Gravley will represent the U.S. for the men. John Payne of the TAC Titans will serve as the head coach of the group.
The roster was selected based upon the results of the men’s and women’s 10k races at the USA Swimming Open Water Championships this past April. You can read the whole selection criteria here.
Twichell and DeGeorge finished 4th and 6th, respectively at Open Water Nationals, and did not represent the U.S. at the World Championships in Fukuoka.
Twichell is the lone Olympian of the group, having finished 7th at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The 34-year-old expected to retire after the Olympics, however, returned to racing this spring after welcoming her first child in May of 2022.
Alternatively, Brennan and Dylan Gravley were both members of the World Championships roster this summer. Brennan Gravley, the top finishing American in the 10k Open Water Nationals, earned 30th in the event at Fukuoka, while his brother took 28th in the 5k event.
Ecuador’s Esteban Enderica won the Pan Am 10k in Lima, Peru in 2019. American Taylor Abbott took home the silver medal after Argentina’s Guillermo Bertola was disqualified following a doping violation. Brazil’s Ana Marcela Cunha is the reigning women’s champion.
Did Kensey McMahon retire?
Not that I’m aware of.
Pretty impressive by Ashley. Go Mom!
Great example of someone who didn’t get burned out at a young age and still absolutely loves the sport and continues to find ways to improve.