LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A former University of Louisville swimmer is looking to make Team USA again during the upcoming United States Olympic trials.

What You Need To Know

  • Kelsi Dahlia is American sprint butterfly and freestyle specialist

  • In the 2016 Rio Olympics, Dahlia helped Team USA win gold in the 4x100 M Medley Relay

  • Dahlia won gold medals in the 2017 and 2019 World Championships

  • She attended UofL from 2012-2016

 

The past year has forced many of us to change our routines and that’s no different for an Olympic gold medalist. Some of the avenues Kelsi Dahlia had to take to stay in shape might sound familiar to many.

“I would go on long walks with my dog in the park nearby and around the neighborhoods. I would just try to compete with my Apple watch to see if I can burn more calories than yesterday or maybe I can workout for a few more minutes,” said Dahlia. “ I have a bike and while I was watching Netflix, I was just pedaling away.”

Dahlia said a lot of athletes had to get creative when the 2020 Summer Olympics were postponed and gyms closed. Luckily, for Dahlia she had the support of her former coaches at UofL and local sponsors like ProRehab when things started to reopen.

“Eventually in March we were able to start fully training again with the team and so that’s been really fun,” said Dahlia. “It definitely has been a roller coaster from training and also the emotional side of things has been really tough.”

Dahlia credits her loving husband, her faith, and coaches with helping her deal with the emotional side of things. She said the support she’s received through the community is why she loves calling Kentucky home.

“Kentucky is a great swimming state,” said Dahlia. “We’ve had 3 UofL swimmers in the U.S. National Team for the last few years, winning medals at worlds and setting world records.”

With the U.S. Olympic Trials approaching, Dahlia is looking forward to seeing the culmination of her efforts and hopefully punch her ticket to the games in Tokyo.

“I just need to trust the process and trust the strength that I gained this year will come,” said Dahlia. “Trust my coaches that led me through the highs and lows of the pandemic and that I can trust it’ll all come together.”

The U.S. Olympic Trials have been separated into two waves because of the size. The first set of trials takes place June 4-7 and the second set spans June 13 through the 20.

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