Anna Kalandadze '19 Recruiting Profile

“I know how to sink”, this is how my mom describes her swimming abilities. The inability to swim, which runs in our family, may have been the reason mom signed me up for lessons at our local YMCA when I was 6. It was at this YMCA that I discovered my love for swimming. A year later, watching Michael Phelps take the gold in the 2008 Beijing Olympics solidified my passion for swimming and my desire to become an Olympic swimmer.

I have been working hard for almost ten years. In the last two years, I have won the Pennsylvania AAA State Championship in 500 Freestyle twice, placed 19th in the country in the 2017 National Open Water 10K, and competed at the 2017 U.S. Open for the first time. Although I am proud of my achievements, I know that I can do better. In fact, I am most proud of the journey that led me here. As a first generation American and the daughter of a working single mom, I had to figure out not only the fundamentals of competitive swimming but also ways to manage complex daily schedules, cook meals for myself, maintain 4.4/5 weighted GPA while taking Honors and AP classes, and work with both my mom and coach as a team. I also learned how much I appreciate my teammates and all of their support.

Through these experiences, I learned the importance of dedication, resilience and teamwork. I will bring these same values to my college swimming career. I am looking for a coach and a team that will push me past my limits and help me to realize my Olympic dream.

Thank you for taking your valuable time to read my profile, and I hope you consider me as a worthy candidate for your team.