TWICHELL Ashley

General
POOL BENEFITS
She says that combining pool and open water swimming has benefited her in both disciplines. "I have loved being able to bounce back and forth between competing in the pool and open water these past several years. I feel like they complement each other really well. Training for pool events sharpens my speed, which is necessary for the end of a 10km, which almost always comes down to a sprint finish. I also think these past nine years [speaking in 2020] of competing in open water has definitely made me mentally tougher, which of course is advantageous in the pool. There are so many different elements to account for in an open water race, and so many variables that are completely out of your control, that it has really forced me to work on my mental strength." (usaswimming.org, 04 Dec 2020)

FOURTH TIME IS THE CHARM
She qualified for the 2020 Olympic Games with a sixth-place finish in the 10km open water event at the 2019 World Championships in Gwangju, Republic of Korea. Her successful qualification came after failing to qualify for the previous three Olympic Games. "Ever since I graduated college, I have taken my swimming career year by year. Initially, when I decided to keep swimming post-collegiately, I believed I would just swim through the summer of 2011, and here I am, still competing [speaking in 2020]. At the end of each year, I have decided I was just not ready to step away and wanted to keep pushing. I kept reminding myself of all the work I put into reaching the Olympics, why I kept pursuing this goal and that I had a strong finish in me." (usaswimming.org, 24 Jun 2020; espn.com, 20 Sep 2019)

FUTURE PLANS
In 2020 she spoke about her plans to work as a swimming coach and establish a swim school following her retirement from competitive swimming. "I do have two strong passions that I am excited to pursue when that time comes [retirement]. The first is teaching children or people of any age how to swim. I have such a love and passion for the water, and I want to pass that on to others. More importantly, I want every kid and person out there to be water-safe. My husband and I have discussed plans to open up a swim school once I am done competing, and the thought of how many lives that could change really excites and motivates me." (usaswimming.org, 24 Jun 2020)