Chris Thompson, Kaelan Oldani to Defend Mighty Mac Swim Titles
Courtesy of Jim Dreyer, Mighty Mac Swim, St. Ignace, Michigan.
Jim Dreyer, Executive Director of the Mighty Mac Swim, announced that defending champions Chris Thompson and Kaelan Oldani will return to defend their titles in the annual Mighty Mac Swim in Michigan.
The race is locally popular, very popular.
Within 11 hours of opening registration, the maximum number of swimmers entered the 5th Mighty Mac Swim that will be held August 9th 2020. Its course is a 4-mile race between the state of Michigan’s peninsulas across the often-turbulent Straits of Mackinac.
“We are pleased to have our 2019 gold medalists Chris Thompson and Kaelan Oldani join us again for the 2020 race,” Dreyer said. “Chris will be going for an amazing three-peat and Kaelan a repeat. We are proud of these elite athletes’ past performances and wish them the best going forward.
The competitive environment continues to intensify. 9 men and 9 women broke the previous male and female course records in 2019, led by Thompson (1:30:26.4) and Oldani (1:44:49.4). The popularity of the Mighty Mac Swim continues to draw more and more talent. We are very much looking forward to an exciting race next August and to providing a great adventure for those who swim merely for an unforgettable experience.”
Thompson, the winner of two Mighty Mac Swim races and a local star at the University of Michigan, is best known for winning bronze in the 1500-meter freestyle at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games.
“I’m very excited to be participating in the 2020 Mighty Mac Swim,” Thompson said. “Swimming alongside the great Mackinac Bridge, battling the elements and crossing the finish line gives one a great feeling of accomplishment. It should be on every swimmers bucket list.”
Oldani is another Michigan local. She is a 21-year-old senior at the University of Michigan who is on the university’s Club Triathlon team following a successful high school pool swimming career in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
“The Mighty Mac Swim was a spectacular experience. I have never swum in waters so beautiful as the Straits of Mackinac,” Oldani said. “At the start of the race, I was able to see a gorgeous sunrise as I breathed to the right and the beauty of the Mackinac Bridge as I breathed to the left! The cold water temperature, strong currents, white cap waves, and crystal clear water made for an exciting challenge to keep me focused all throughout the race.
I was extremely nervous on the days leading up to the race and only had one goal in mind: crossing the Straits, definitely not winning. When I got out of the water at the end, I was so excited to have accomplished my goal that I did not even realize I was the first woman out of the water.”
For more information, visit www.MightyMacSwim.com.
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