Shorewood standout Rachel Munson could be swimming alongside 11-time Olympic medalist Ryan Lochte this weekend.
She was one of the youngest invited to compete in U.S. Olympic Trials for a chance to compete in the 2012 London Olympics, and propelled the Shorewood High School girls swim team to its seventh state title this fall with a record-breaking 1:01.37 effort.
Now, Rachel is on to the next big thing.
The Shorewood High School junior left the village Thursday for a Colorado Springs Olympic training facility, to join the top swimmers in the nation at an exclusive and intensive training camp.
Each fall, USA Swimming — the national governing body of swimming in the country — selects 60 of the top USA Swimming member athletes in the nation for "a once-in-a-lifetime camp experience." To be eligible, male athletes must be 16-years-old or younger and female athletes between 14 and 16 years old, during the qualifying period.
Word is, Lochte may be training at the center, at some point during the camp.
"It's very much a privilege to be selected," mother Jane Munson said. "Of course it makes me and my husband very proud. She works and trains very hard and is very disciplined.
"She frankly earned this and we are thrilled for her."
Rachel was selected based on her swim time in the 100-meter breaststroke last year. Munson was at the top of national rankings for her age group last year and held the 14th best time ever for a 14-year-old in the U.S. As a 12- and 13-year-old, Rachel was in the top 10 nationally for her swim times.
During the camp running Thursday through Sunday, Rachel and other swimmers will learn about post race recovery, drug and supplement rules, psychological training skills, nutrition, race strategy and more.
