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US Paralympics Names 48 Swimmers to 2019 National Team

The US Paralympic Committee announced the 48-swimmer 2019 U.S. National Team Wednesday, featuring 35 women and 13 men.

The roster includes 21 Olympians who have racked up 62 Paralympic medals in all.

“With the Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 right around the corner, this will be a very important season for Team USA,” said Queenie Nichols, director of U.S. Paralympics Swimming, in a press release. “The 48 athletes named to the national team have all worked very hard to make it this far, but there is plenty of work to be done as we gear up for Tokyo.”

The team has four subdivisions: the Elite A Team, A Team, B Team, and C Team. Qualification for each team is based off 2018 times, per the US Paralympics Swimming 2019 Athlete and Sport Program Plan:

  • Athletes who meet a National A Standard(s) at a World Para Swimming recognized event and have a first-place ranking for their sport class, will be nominated to the National Elite A Team for Term #1. Standards must be met in 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games events. First place rankings will be used from January 1, 2018 through the 1st day of the month following the date the athlete obtains the National A Standard. (This could be subject to the uploading of the results and world rankings by World Para Swimming).
  • Athletes who meet a National A Standard(s) (using the 2019 National Standards) at a World Para Swimming recognized event will be nominated to the 2019 National A Team for Term #1.
  • Athletes who meet a National B standard(s) (using the 2019 National Standards) at a World Para Swimming recognized event will be nominated to the 2019 National B Team for Term #1.
  • Athletes who meet a National C standard(s) (using the 2019 National Standards) at a World Para Swimming recognized event will be nominated to the 2019 National C Team for Term #1.

Headlining the Elite A Team this year are 23-time Paralympic medalist Jessica Long and reigning 100 back world champion Robert Griswold, the only male swimmer named to the Elite Team. Rounding out the Elite Team is two-time Paralympian McKenzie Coan, 2017 Worlds medalist Julia Gaffney, two-time Paralympian Becca Myers, and 2017 Worlds finalist Leanne Smith.

Swimmers named to each subdivision may be entitled to various benefits, including funding, health insurance, air or ground transportation, lodging, and meals, as well as access to the USOC Athlete Career & Education Program.

See the full roster below (* denotes US Paralympian).

2019 US Para Swimming National Team

National Team Hometown Classification
Elite A Team
*McKenzie Coan Clarkesville, Ga. S7/SB6/SM7
Julia Gaffney Mayflower, Ark. S7/SB6/SM7
*Robert Griswold Freehold, N.J. S8/SB7/SM8
*Jessica Long Baltimore, Md. S8/SB7/SM8
*Becca Meyers Timonium, Md. S12/SB12/SM12
Leanne Smith Salem, Mass. S3/SB3/SM3
A Team
*Evan Austin Terre Haute, Ind. S7/SB6/SM7
Ahalya Lettenberger Glen Ellyn, Ill. S7/SB6/SM7
Makayla Nietzel Crystal Lake, Ill. S13/SB13/SM13
Gia Pergolini Roswell, Ga. S13/SB13/SM13
*Martha Ruether Allegany, N.Y. S13/SB13/SM13
*Colleen Young St. Louis, Mo. S13/SB13/SM13
B Team
*Hannah Aspden Raleigh, N.C. S9/SB8/SM9
*Cailin Currie Danvers, Mass. S13/SB13/SM13
*Tharon Drake Hobbs, N.M. S11/SB11/SM11
*McClain Hermes Dacula, Ga. S11/SB11/SM11
*Sophia Herzog Fairplay, Colo. S6/SB6/SM6
Mikaela Jenkins Evansville, Ind. S10/SB9/SM10
*Cortney Jordan Henderson, Nev. S7/SB7/SM7
*Michelle Konkoly Eagleville, Pa. S10/SB9/SM10
Lawrence Sapp Waldorf, Md. S14/SB14/SM14
*Lizzi Smith Muncie, Ind. S9/SB9/SM9
C Team
Hallie Anderson O’Fallon, Mo. S10/SB9/SM10
Isabella Blanchard Ramsey, Minn. S9/SB9/SM9
*Leslie Cichocki Palos Hills, Ill. S14/SB14/SM14
Alyssia Crook Allendale, Mich. S9/SB8/SM9
David Gelfand Weston, Conn. S9/SB8/SM9
*Alyssa Gialamas Naperville, Ill. S5/SB4/SM5
Connor Gioffreda Timonium, Md. S6/SB6/SM6
Jamal Hill Inglewood, Calif. S9/SB8/SM9
*Elizabeth Marks Prescott Valley, Ariz. S8/SB7/SM8
*Letticia Martinez Las Cruces, N.M. S11/SB11/SM11
Ross Minor St. Augustine, Fla. S11/SB11/SM11
Elise Morley Norton, Mass. S9/SB9/SM9
Anastasia Pagonis Garden City, N.J. S12/SB12/SM12
Amanda Palyo Castle Pines, Colo. S9/SB9/SM9
Joseph Peppersack Hopewell, Va. S8/SB7/SM8
Jonathan Pierce Torrance, Calif. S14/SB14/SM14
Carson Sanocki Charlotte, N.C. S13/SB13/SM13
Summer Schmit Stillwater, Minn. S9/SB9/SM9
Zachary Shattuck Mt. Airy, Md. S6/SB6/SM6
Aspen Shelton Willow Park, Texas S12/SB12/SM12
*Natalie Sims Minneapolis, Minn. S9/SB9/SM9
Liam Smith Rockford, Mich. S6/SB6/SM6
Morgan Stickney Bedford, N.H. S10/SB9/SM10
Samantha Tubbs King George, Va. S9/SB9/SM9
*Mallory Weggemann Eagan, Minn. S8/SB7/SM8
MeiMei White Orlando, Fla. S9/SB8/SM9

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Christian
5 years ago

2019 Australian Para-swimming team international classifications.

Wow bombshells galore!!!

Firstly, Rowan Bright an S7 swimmer who represented Australia at both the Commonwealth games and the Para Pan Pacific games as just been classed out of S7 Para-swimming for being .8 of a cm too tall. Bright also won nine medals at 2015 World Dwarf Games, Bright suffers from short stature called hypochondroplasia.

Secondly, one of the big news stories, former S14 and then S10 swimmer, Paige Leonhardt, has just been classed out of the S10 category and issued with a Not Eligible notice. Furthermore, Para Swimming Australia are NOT going to appeal the Leonhardt classification decision. Leonhardt represented Australia at the 2016 Rio Paralympics, the 2017 World Championships, the 2018… Read more »

jfed
5 years ago

What do the four different subdivisions mean?

Bobc
5 years ago

You mean World Championships? A team that hasn’t had trials yet?

A meet for which there is (not as of yet) any official declaration of resolution with logistical concerns presumably still underway?

A meet that has a large impact both on the event schedule in Tokyo and the distribution of NPC team sizes?

That team for that event? Of course not, but you know that already because you can count and you’re interested so you’d have done a minimum of research to see what was published in the way of event teams, selection procedures and (particularly) read the above press release which is obviously a program structure and not a performance event selection given that it doesn’t names anyone to… Read more »

About Torrey Hart

Torrey Hart

Torrey is from Oakland, CA, and majored in media studies and American studies at Claremont McKenna College, where she swam distance freestyle for the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps team. Outside of SwimSwam, she has bylines at Sports Illustrated, Yahoo Sports, SB Nation, and The Student Life newspaper.

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