AWL Trip to 2025 Virtus World Swimming Championships (Thailand)
August 20 - August 30
Virtus has announced that Bangkok, Thailand will host the 2025 Virtus World Swimming Championships for the top swimmers with Intellectual Disability, Down syndrome and Autism from around the globe!
2025 USA National Swim Team Announced for Virtus World Swimming Championships in Thailand
Congratulations to the 15 athletes who have qualified for and been selected to compete as part of the Athletes Without Limits US National Team set to compete at the 2025 Virtus World Swimming Championships in Thailand! The event is sanctioned by World Para Swimming and draws the top swimmers with intellectual impairments from around the World.
The US swimmers hail from 9 different home states with 8 returning to the team having competed in previous Virtus International Events. Of the 7 new swimmers who have qualified several are younger which creates an opportunity to build a strong team for future events.
Returning National Team Coaches Bill Ewell and Wilma Wong will once ahead head up the team with support from Assistant Coach Leslie Cichocki, a former Virtus Medalist and U.S. Paralympic Team Member (Rio 2016) as well as Athletes Without Limits Leadership and support staff. Congratulations to all the swimmers for this incredible accomplishment and opportunity to compete against the top swimmers with Intellectual Impairments from around the World.
Watch for more posts about the 2025 US National Swim Team as we get closer to the event!
Virtus II1 Competition Group
Tessa Nagy (CA)
Piper Sadowski (MI)
Eric Cordero (NY)
Trevor Luckacko (NJ)
Andrew Mandujano (AZ)
Virtus II2 Competition Group
Lauren Bergquist (FL)
Caitlin Trevor (DE, UK)
Katya Vazhenin (GA)
Gustavo De Oliviera (FL)
Joey Jurries (WI)
Virtus II3 Competition Group
Melanie Huang (NJ)
Leia Davila (FL)
Fernando Ehlers (FL)
Niccolai Torres (FL)
Daniel Wondaferew (GA)
ABOUT THE EVENT:
Athletes Without Limits is recruiting a National Swim Team of the top swimmers to represent the United States at this highly competitive Virtus International event. Our goal is to have a full team comprised of men & women from each of the three Virtus Competition Groups:
- Intellectual Disability (including Autism with ID)
- Down Syndrome
- Autism (without ID)
ELIGIBILITY:
Swimmers must have full International Eligibility confirmed by Virtus to compete at this event. Review our current Swimming Eligibility List if you are unsure of a swimmer’s status.
Swimmers with National Level eligibility who have at least one MQS qualifying time for this event should complete the Athlete Interest Form (below) as early as possible before April 20th and we will reply with items needed to complete full International Eligibility.
New swimmers who have at least one MQS qualifying time for this event should complete the Athlete Interest Form below as early as possible AND must be able to submit a completed Virtus Eligibility Application with all required assessments before April 20, 2025.
EVENT GUIDES:
Download USA Team Guide w/MQS
(with trip costs posted April 2025)
Download Virtus Organizer’s PDF Guide w/MQS
(posted Nov 2024)
Review MQS Time Standards to determine if the swimmer has at least one qualifying time.
*Scroll below for more details about time standards.
KEY DATES & STEPS TO APPLY:
By April 20, 2025
STEP 1: US ATHLETE INTEREST & MQS FORM
Interested swimmers should complete our US Athlete Interest Form by April 20, 2025 to submit their MQS and MET times achieved. We will follow up with an invitation to our Informational Zoom Meeting.
US ATHLETE INTEREST FORM DUE APRIL 20
April 21, 2025 (alt April 22, 2025 if needed)
STEP 2: INFORMATIONAL ZOOM
Attend a session with our team leaders for athletes with MQS Times who have completed the Interest Form above. (Alternate dates will be considered based on feedback on the Interest Form.)
April 21-30, 2025
FOLLOW UP & TEAM SELECTION
Athletes Without Limits will have follow-up individual conversations with interested athletes (if needed) in order to finalize the roster for this event. We will email official event invitation letters to all selected swimmers with a link to compete the registration and payment form.
By May 21, 2025
STEP 3: EVENT REGISTRATION & PAYMENT FORM
Complete the event registration form and make payment — link will be sent by email to selected swimmers. Additional Team Zooms will be scheduled leading up to the event.
*ABOUT MQS TIME STANDARDS:
This event is open to swimmers with Virtus II1, II2, and II3 International Level eligibility who meet the qualifying standards shown in the tables below (announced by Virtus November 26, 2024)
- To qualify for the event swimmers must have at least one MQS.
- Other individual events can then be entered where a Minimum Entry Time (MET) has been met.
- Times must have been earned at an officially timed event since June 1, 2023.
- Short Course times can be converted to Long Course Meters using the SwimSwam Online Conversion Tool.
- For winning times from the last Virtus Worlds see 2023 Virtus Global Games Results
