Ashley Twichell
From Openwaterpedia
Ashley Twitchell (born 1989) is a world-class open water swimmer from the United States and a member of the USA Swimming National Open Water Swimming Team. She won a gold medal and a bronze medal at the 2011 World Swimming Championships in Shanghai, China. She was also the first recipient of the Fran Crippen Elevation Foundation (FCEF) "Work the Dream" grant and the winner of the 2012 Speedo 10 km Challenge at the Midmar Mile.Contents |
Background
Twichell is a native of Fayetteville, New York and a graduate of Duke University in 2011. She is the daughter of Terry and Deirdre Twichell. She has three older siblings Brandon, Ryan, and Carly. She currently trains with fellow USA Swimming national team members Chloe Sutton and Christine Jennings at the Mission Viejo Nadadores in Mission Viejo, California.
International Career
She teamed with Andrew Gemmell of the University of Georgia and Michigan University's Sean Ryan to record a time of 57:00.6, winning the gold medal at the 5K Team Event at the 2011 FINA World Swimming Championships in Shanghai, China. Twichell also earned the bronze medal in the women's 5K event at the World Championships in a tight race. It was her first international competition.
Domestic Career
She won the 5K race at the 2011 USA Swimming National Open Water National Championships in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and finished third in the 10K to earn a spot on the USA Swimming national team. She was also selected as the 2011 Female Open Water Swimmer of the Year by USA Swimming.
Twichell's busy summer of competition also included a third-place performance in the women's 800 free at the 2011 ConocoPhillips National Championships in August. She notched a time of 8:35.20 in the finals of that event to qualify for the Olympic trials next June.