Meet 2016 US Olympian Haley Anderson, who has qualified for Rio in the 10 KM Open Water event. In the video Anderson talks about an early experience during summer league on a relay where she didn’t want to swim and ruined it for her teammates, her parents being very upset. She also talks about how after qualifying for her first Junior National team and winning two medals at that event was the first time she realized she might have a future in swimming. She also opens up about her shy nature, and that the Olympic team atmosphere is really nice to be apart of because everyone is so friendly.
Anderson, from Granite Bay, California, isn’t the only swimmer in her family. Her mother Colette swam for the University of Hawaii, younger sister, Jordan, swims for the University of Utah, and older sister, Alyssa, swam for the University of Arizona, and was also a 2012 Olympian.
After a successful junior career including three runner-up finishes at the 2008 Junior Nationals, Anderson chose to go to school at the University of Southern California. She had a successful career with the Trojans with multiple Pac-10 titles and two consecutive 500 free NCAA titles in her junior and senior years.
Her international career began at the 2009 Junior Pan Pacs, where she won gold in the 800 and 1500 free. She went onto qualify for the 2009 World Championships, finishing 28th in the 800 free and 9th in the 1500 free. In 2010 Anderson began to show her prowess in open water, finishing 4th in the 10 KM at the Pan Pacific Championships.
She went onto qualify for the 2012 Olympics in the 10 KM Open Water event, joining her sister Alyssa Anderson who qualified for the 800 free relay in London. Haley won silver, while Alyssa took home a gold medal as part of the prelim relay. She continued her open water success, winning the 5 KM World Championship title in 2013, the 10 KM Pan Pac title in 2014, and the 5 KM World Championship title in 2015. Her performances in 2015 qualified her for the 2016 Olympics in Rio. She also competed in the 800 free at the US Olympic Trials, placing 7th in the 800 free and 9th in the 400 free.
