Avon’s Madison Kennedy (Photo courtesy New Wave Sports Marketing)
Avon’s Madison Kennedy was named to the U.S. team that will be competing at the 2015 Pan American Games next July in Toronto. Kennedy was named to swim the 50 meter freestyle by USA Swimming on Thursday. Her selection is pending approval by the U.S. Olympic Committee.
Kennedy is one of 20 U.S. national team members named to represent the United States at the Pan Am Games on July 14-18. Ten Olympians and six Olympic gold medalists are also on the U.S. squad.
This will be Kennedy’s first appearance at the Pan-Am Games.
Part of the American team is Natalie Coughlin (Vallejo, Calif.), a three-time Olympian and 12-time Olympic medalist. She will be joined in Toronto by fellow U.S. Olympic gold medalists Cullen Jones (Irvington, N.J.), Matt McLean (Sterling, Va.), Allison Schmitt (Canton, Mich.) and Nick Thoman (Cincinnati, Ohio).
USA Swimming announced rosters for three major international competitions in 2015 including the World Championship meet and the World University Games. A 47-person team will swim at the World Championships on Aug. 2-9, 2015 in Kazan, Russia. A 46-person team has been selected to compete at the World University Games in South Korea on July 4-11, 2015. That meet features swimmers ages 17-23 who are current college students or recent graduates.
“The momentum generated in 2015 will be key for USA Swimming as we build toward the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio,” said USA Swimming National Team Director Frank Busch. “We’ve assembled three exciting teams for next summer, and I look forward to seeing how we stack up on the international stage.”
Kennedy finished fourth in the 50 freestyle at the recent U.S. national championship meet in August with a time of 24.83 seconds – the second fastest time in her career. It was her third medal-winning performance in the 50 free at the national championships. She was second in the 50 free in 2010 and 2011.
Kennedy, a 2005 Avon High graduate, trains with Swim MAC in Charlotte, North Carolina.