Ali Galyer, who is training for the 2021 Olympics for New Zealand, has moved her training to New Zealand.
The former Kentucky All-American and Tokyo Olympic qualifier is moving from Kentucky to New Zealand, she announced on social media.
“On to the next adventure!! I am forever grateful for University of Kentucky and all they have done for me over the past 4 years. They have shaped me into the swimmer and person I am today. I am happy to announce that I have chosen to head back to New Zealand to train at Coast Swim Club with their Elite Team. I am excited to head back to New Zealand for this part of my life and to start a new adventure. Thank you to everyone who helped transform this dream of mine into reality. I am forever grateful for everyones constant support. I’ll see you soon New Zealand??” she wrote.
Ali Galyer is a New Zealand citizen for athletics, but is also a citizen of Australia, the U.S. and Canada, where her mother was born. Her father was born in New Zealand, while Galyer was born in Australia, then moved to the United States at a young age, growing up in South Carolina.
Galyer started her New Zealand-citizenship athletic career in 2018. At the 2019 world championships, she swam the 100 backstroke (1:01.53, 30th) and 200 backstroke (2:10.19, 12th).
She plans to train at the Coast Swim Club in Auckland with coach Michael Weston.
Ali Galyer concluded her career at the University of Kentucky, making the NCAA meet, which wasn’t held because of COVID-19. She was a four-time first-team All-American for the Wildcats.
Career Notes:
- 2020 Team New Zealand Olympian
- 2017, 2018, 2019, *2020 NCAA qualifier
- 2017, 2019 CSCAA Scholar All-America First Team
- Four-time First Team All-American (2017-2019)
- Four-time All-America Honorable Mention (2017-2019)
- 2018, 2019, 2020 SEC Winter Academic Honor Roll
- 2018, 2019, 2020 All-SEC Second Team
- 2019 SEC Silver Medalist in 200 Backstroke
- 2019 SEC Bronze Medalist in 800 Freestyle Relay
- 2019 SEC Bronze Medalist in 400 Medley Relay
- 2018 SEC Bronze Medalist in 200 Backstroke
- 2017 SEC Silver Medalist in 800 Freestyle Relay
- 2017 All-SEC Second Team, All-Freshman Team
- 2017 SEC First-Year Academic Honor Roll
Top Times (SCY):
50 Freestyle: 23.25 (2018 SEC Championships, 02/15/18)
100 Freestyle: 49.38 (2019 SEC Championships, 02/23/19)
200 Freestyle: 1:43.99 (2020 SEC Championships, 02/18/20)
500 Freestyle: 4:38.40 (2020 SEC Championships, 02/19/20)
100 Backstroke: 52.53 (2019 NCAA Championships, 03/21/19)
200 Backstroke: 1:49.92 (2020 SEC Championships, 02/22/20)
Top Times (LCM):
200 Freestyle: 2:02.23 (2019 Ohio State Fall Invite, 11/22/19)
400 Freestyle: 4:17.69 (2019 Ohio State Fall Invite, 11/21/19)
800 Freestyle: 9:01.13 (2017 Bucceto Open, 06/01/17)
100 Backstroke: 1:01.53 (2019 FINA World Championships, 07/22/19)
200 Backstroke: 2:09.77 (2018 Summer Nationals, 07/26/18)