COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — U.S. Paralympics, a division of the United States Olympic Committee, today announced its roster of 22 U.S. athletes who will represent Team USA at the 2017 World Para Swimming Championships in Mexico City, from Sept. 30-Oct. 6. The team, which is comprised of 12 females and 10 males, includes 13 Paralympians and two returning world champions from the 2015 event.
“We’re very excited about the 22 athletes who will represent Team USA at the world championships,” said Queenie Nichols, high performance director for U.S. Paralympics Swimming. “We’re thrilled about the up-and-coming talent on the team, as well as the veteran athletes who have proven their ability, who will certainly have incredible swims in Mexico City.”
Jessica Long (Baltimore, Maryland), a 23-time Paralympic medalist and 38-time world championships medalist, will return to her sixth world championships as the reigning world champion in the 100-meter butterfly, 100 breaststroke, 200 individual medley and 400 freestyle. Six-time Paralympic medalist and seven-time world championships medalist Becca Meyers (Timonium, Maryland) will look to defend her titles in the 400 free and 200 IM. Six other female Paralympians are included on the roster, including Hannah Aspden (Raleigh, North Carolina), McKenzie Coan (Clarkesville, Georgia), McClain Hermes (Dacula, Georgia), Sophia Herzog (Fairplay, Colorado), Natalie Sims (Minneapolis, Minnesota) and Colleen Young (St. Louis, Missouri).
A world gold medalist in 2009, Tucker Dupree (Raleigh, North Carolina) makes his fifth world championships team, and is joined by fellow Paralympians Tharon Drake (Hobbs, New Mexico), Tye Dutcher (Merced, California), Robert Griswold (Freehold, New Jersey) and Curtis Lovejoy (Atlanta, Georgia).
The team is complete with nine rising stars, including Caleb Cripe (Middlebury, Indiana), Julia Gaffney (Mayflower, Arkansas), Connor Gioffreda (Timonium, Maryland), Gia Pergolini (Roswell, Georgia), Lawrence Sapp (Waldorf, Maryland), Roderick Sewell (Spring Valley, California), Zachary Shattuck (Mt. Airy, Maryland), Aspen Shelton (Willow Park, Texas) and Leanne Smith (Salem, Massachusetts).
U.S. Paralympics Roster for 2017 World Para Swimming Championships
*Denotes U.S. Paralympian
Women
*Hannah Aspden (Raleigh, N.C.) – S9/SB8/SM9
*McKenzie Coan (Clarkesville, Ga.) – S7/SB6/SM7
Julia Gaffney (Mayflower, Ark.) – S8/SB6/SM8
*McClain Hermes (Dacula, Ga.) – S12/SB12/SM12
*Sophia Herzog (Fairplay, Colo.) – S6/SB6/SM6
*Jessica Long (Baltimore, Md.) – S8/SB7/SM8
*Becca Meyers (Timonium, Md.) – S13/SB13/SM13
Gia Pergolini (Roswell, Ga.) – S13/SB13/SM13
Aspen Shelton (Willow Park, Texas) – S13/SB13/SM13
*Natalie Sims (Minneapolis, Minn.) – S9/SB9/SM9
Leanne Smith (Salem, Mass.) – S4/SB4/SM4
*Colleen Young (St. Louis, Mo.) – S13/SB13/SM13
Men
Caleb Cripe (Middlebury, Ind.) – S7/SB8/SM7
*Tharon Drake (Hobbs, N.M.) – S11/SB11/SM11
*Tucker Dupree (Raleigh, N.C.) – S12/SB12/SM12
*Tye Dutcher (Merced, Calif.) – S10/SB9/SM10
Connor Gioffreda (Timonium, Md.) – S6/SB6/SM6
*Robert Griswold (Freehold, N.J.) – S8/SB7/SM8
*Curtis Lovejoy (Atlanta, Ga.) – S2/SB1/SM2
Lawrence Sapp (Waldorf, Md.) – S14/SB14/SM14
Roderick Sewell (Spring Valley, Calif.) – S8/SB6/SM8
Zachary Shattuck (Mt. Airy, Md.) – S6/SB6/SM6
Press release courtesy of U.S. Paralympics.
Joshua Barabbas Payne