At a media day in January to promote the Tyr Pro Swim Series, three-time Olympic gold medalist Ryan Murphy visited SwimRVA and spent time in the pool with the SwimRVA Rapids team. (Photo courtesy SwimRVA)
When hundreds of the world’s fastest swimmers compete in Chesterfield County this month, James River High School sophomore Grace Sheble will be there watching. The region’s All-Metro swimmer of the year in 2018 is eager to see how world-class athletes take on events such as the 200- and 400-meter individual medley and the 200-meter butterfly.
From April 10-13, SwimRVA’s Collegiate School Aquatics Center on Ridgedale Parkway will host the Tyr Pro Swim Series, a group of meets around the nation where top-level athletes race against each other. (Series title sponsor Tyr Sport, named for the Norse warrior god, is a California-based maker of swimming and triathlon wear and equipment.)
“We aren’t allowed to talk about swimmers until 10 days out, after the entries have been received, but we expect a good portion of the current world-record holders who are still active to be in the contest,” says Adam Kennedy, executive director of SwimRVA. Katie Ledecky, a six-time Olympic medalist, completed in January’s Tyr Pro Swim Series in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Kennedy says that there will be a “fan zone” with an autograph section for people to interact with the swimmers.
USA Swimming chose the Richmond area as a location for the series because of its level of competition, but also for its culture and restaurant scene, he says, adding, “It’s an exciting place to live, work and play.”
James River High School student Grace Sheble (Photo courtesy Grace Sheble)
Sheble says that clubs such as the nonprofit SwimRVA have increased the number of students in the water — far more than when she and her twin sister, Caroline, started swimming. The sport also got a boost locally when Chesterfield’s swim teams received varsity status from the Virginia High School League. “I think that was a big step for Chesterfield swimming for high school, because then it gets teams out to more competitive fields and helps motivate us to go faster,” she says.
The Pro Swim Series will allow younger swimmers to see world-class athletes up close, Sheble says, adding that she wants to watch their technique for “underwaters” — kicking off of a wall or block.
Kennedy says that tickets — which can be bought for single sessions or for the entire meet — have sold out for several dates and times, but that there are some tickets still available.
If all goes well, the series could return. Kennedy says, “We’ve got bids in for 2020 and 2021.”
