University of Northern Iowa Athletics
Olivia Chambers named to U.S. team for 2023 Para Swimming World Championships
4/28/2023 2:30:00 PM | Women's Swimming and Diving
Two-time U.S. Paralympic national champion to swim July 31-August 6 in Manchester, England.
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. --- UNI's Olivia Chambers will represent the United States on the international stage this summer as the Panther swimmer was named to the team for the 2023 World Para Swimming Championships on Friday.
The 2023 World Championships will be held July 31 through August 6 at the Manchester Aquatics Center in Manchester, England. Viewed as the largest para swimming event of the year. This year's world championships serves as a precursor to the 2024 Paralympic Games next summer in Paris.Â
"After losing my sight, I never imagined it would lead me to achieving my lifelong dream of representing the United States," Chambers said. "It is crazy to think this summer I will actually be achieving that goal."Â
To qualify for the team, Chambers competed at the Citi Para Swimming World Series in Minneapolis last weekend. Recording personal best swims in every race, she earned spots for team selection in the 100-meter freestyle, 400-meter freestyle, and 200-meter individual medley.Â
"This is an incredible opportunity for Olivia to represent not just our team but the United States," Head Coach Nick Lakin said. "The work she puts in daily continues to produce exciting results each time she competes. It makes us proud to see her achieve this goal."Â
Unlike the Para Swimming World Series meets and the Paralympic National Championships, the World Championships will feature classifications competing separately with medals awarded for each. Currently, Chambers leads the S13 world rankings in the 400-meter freestyle and the SM13 world rankings in the 200-meter individual medley.
"Not only am I super excited to join a team with some of the best para swimmers in the world, but I can't wait to race other swimmers in my classification," Chambers said.Â
A native of Little Rock, Arkansas, she competes as a visually impaired swimmer in the S13 classification. Just prior to her sophomore season, she broke her first American Record in the 400-meter Individual Medley at the USA Swimming Futures Championships in Minneapolis. Since then, Chambers has set four additional American Records.Â
Her first international competition came last October at the Citi Para Swimming World Series event in Mexico, claiming silver in the 400-meter freestyle and bronze in the 100-meter butterfly. Last weekend in Minneapolis, at her second world series meet, Chambers won bronze in the 100-meter breaststroke and 400-meter freestyle, while earning gold in the 200-meter individual medley.Â
In December, Chambers became UNI's first-ever Paralympic swimming national champion, winning the 400-meter freestyle and 200-meter individual medley at the U.S. Paralympic Swimming National Championships in Charlotte. Her breakout performance also earned her Swimmer of the Meet honors by virtue of accumulating the best overall point total among competing swimmers.Â
Chamber became an All-MVC honoree at the Missouri Valley Conference Championships in February after claiming a seventh place finish in the 1650-yard freestyle while becoming the third fastest in program history in the event. She also placed 20th in the 500-yard freestyle with a personal best performance.Â
She is the daughter of Alison and Brad Chambers, and is currently majoring in biology.
Players Mentioned
