USA Swimming announced Tuesday the 48 swimmers who have been chosen to participate in the 12th Annual National Diversity Select Camp. The training camp will be held May 3-6, 2018 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo.
Throughout this camp, athletes who are members of minority populations will be encouraged to become leaders in their swimming communities. There will be pool training, motivational and educational sessions and team-building activities. The swimmers’ coaches have also all been invited to attend.
To be eligible for selection, athletes must represent a minority group population that makes up less than 10% of the current USA Swimming membership. The swimmers must be between 14 and 16 years old on the first day of camp and must not have already attended a Diversity Select Camp.
There is also a time component to selection. These swimmers must have achieved at least one Diversity Select Camp time standard, found here. The times are current AAAA National Motivational Times for the 13-14 age group.
Forty-two different club teams from 22 states will be represented at this year’s Diversity Select Camp. Many swimmers have come through this camp, and one of the most renowned alumni of the program is Olympic gold medalist Simone Manuel.
On the women’s side, distinguished athletes include Corvallis Aquatic Team’s Francesca Criscione, Kalli Fama of Rio Salado Swim Club, Gabriela Icheva of of Beach Cities Swimming and Snow Swimming’s Janika Perezous.
Following that, notable swimmers on the men’s side is Samuel Bork of Mid Wisconsin Wave Makers, Jaden Luo of Austin Swim Club, Andrew Navarro from BlueFin Aquatics and Rockville Montgomery Swim Club’s Sean Santos.
