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A multiple time Georgia high school state finalist, Natalie Gilson of Cumming, GA has announced her decision to join the Miami University (Ohio) Redhawks following her high school graduation next year. Gilson is entering her senior year at Denmark High School, and swims club with Swim Atlanta.
Back in February, Gilson finished in the top-8 of both the 50 and 100 freestyles while competing at the GHSA 6-7A Swimming and Diving State Championships. Her best finish came in the 50 free, where she swam to a silver medal in a time of 23.48. She also added a then lifetime best of 52.08 in the 100 free to finish fifth. Both of those performances were big improvements on her 2021 finishes. At the 2021 state meet, she finished 9th and 13th in the 50 and 100, respectively.
Gilson has already started the long course season strong this summer, swimming to a trio of lifetime bests at the Atlanta Classic in May. In the 50 free, she stopped the clock at 27.24, while in the 100 free she finished at 1:00.59. She also added a new lifetime best in the 200 breast (2:54.04).
Top SCY Times
- 50 free – 23.34
- 100 free – 51.92
- 200 free – 1:55.05
- 100 breast – 1:08.80
- 200 breast – 2:24.71
Last season, the Redhawks were led in the freestyle events by sophomore Nicole Maier, the team’s lone NCAA Championships qualifier. Maier qualified for the NCAA Championships in three events, contesting the 100 free, 200 free, and 500 free. Last season she held personal bests of 22.71/48.71/1:44.90 in 50/100/200 freestyles. Gilson will have one year of overlap with Maier at Miami after she joins the team in the fall of 2023.
Gilson will likely be able to content for spots on the team’s freestyle relays immediately after joining the program next fall. During the 2021-2022 season, her lifetime bests would have made her the program’s fifth fastest performer in the 50 free and eight fastest in the 100 free. This season, the Redhawks had a very young freestyle group, with the entirety of the program’s freestyle relays at the conference championships being underclassmen.
Gilson won’t be the first member of the team to come from the Atlanta, Georgia area. Katheryn Antonowich, Karsten Dixon, and Caleb Duval are all orignally from the Atlanta area.
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