Singapore-Bound Swimmers Offer A World Of Reactions

Every other week we scour the web for the latest going on in the world of U.S. Para swimming. Here’s what you missed!

We’re Talking World Championships!

U.S. Paralympics Swimming announced the roster for the 2025 Para Swimming World Championships in Singapore later this fall, and the athletes of Team USA are sharing their excitement.

A total of 20 athletes — 13 women and seven men — were named to the roster at the end of May. The group is highlighted by the veteran Jessica Long, who’ll look to add to her total of 54 career world championships medals, while a handful of newcomers also made the cut, including Katie Kubiak and Evan Wilkerson.

Find the full list of U.S. Paralympics Swimmers on the World Championships Roster here.

Check out just some of their reactions:

Christie Raleigh-Crossley entered the Para Swimming World Series event in Indianapolis in April, which served as the lone selection event for the world championships, just three weeks after having two malignant masses removed at the University of Florida.

The five-time Paralympic medalist wrote, “I am beyond honored (and pretty proud of myself) to announce that I have been selected to represent Team USA in my second ✌🏽World Championships! They will be happening later this year in Singapore 🇸🇬

“There is still much work & recovery to do, but I love that I am living my childhood dreams. Not everyone gets that privilege.”

Keegan Knott is a two-time Paralympian, but she’s never been to a world championships. That will change this fall. She wrote, Singapore bound!! 🇸🇬 I am so excited to be heading to my first World Championships this fall! Grateful to represent Team USA again!” 

Leanne Smith is on a tear. The two-time Paralympian and five-time medalist switched up her training routine after Paris and went on to break three world records in Indianapolis, as she explained in a recent feature on USParaSwimming.org. 

And now Smith is officially headed to her fifth world championships:

“Always an honor to represent Team USA 🇺🇸,” she wrote.

Morgan Stickney, who had some hard-fought months in the hospital following the 2024 Paralympics, wrote, “I’m incredibly honored to announce that I qualified for my third World Championships‼️ I’m SO excited to represent the Stars and Stripes in Singapore this fall 🇺🇸 Beyond thankful for my family, friends, coaches, and medical team for helping me chase my dreams!!”

Taylor Winnett will also be making her world championship debut.

After missing the cut in 2022 and 2023 — but making the Team USA roster for the Paralympics last summer — Winnett is excited to add this to her list of goals achieved and represent Team USA once again this fall.

She wrote, “I want to shoutout the incredible team of people who made it possible for me to race at trials 3 months out from my appendectomy in January. … I also want to shoutout my husband, family, and teammates who helped me during the lows of my surgery recovery.”

For Mallory Weggemann, swimming and competing has been a family affair ever since the birth of her daughter, Charlotte. The tot got to see mama compete on the world stage in Paris last year and now it’s: “Singapore here WE come! 🇸🇬”

“It is an honor to be named to my 5th World Championships as a member of Team USA!” Weggemann wrote, in part. “… Changing how I approach my athletic career has felt isolating at times, feeling like I am working against the grain… but when I look to Charlotte I am reminded that the most important part of this journey is being true to the role model I want to be for her. And in that, we are making our way to Singapore and I am SO proud of how we got here.” 

Kubiak is a rising star in Paralympic swimming, and after competing in her first national championships just last year she’ll make her world championships debut in Singapore.

She wrote, “So honored to share that I’ve qualified for my first World Championships team and that I will be representing the United States in Singapore this September! 🇺🇸 

“Thank you to my family and friends for your endless love and support. This wouldn’t be possible without you.”

Noah Jaffe kept it short and sweet, writing, “Singapore bound!!! 🇸🇬So excited represent Team USA at World Championships this fall 😁🇺🇸”

Paralympian Morgan Ray said, “This is where the fun begins... I am Singapore bound!! 🇸🇬🇺🇸

“Headed to my 3rd world championships. Thank you Jesus for putting me on this journey. Can’t wait to represent Team USA in September.”

Evan Wilkerson, who’s starting at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkansas, wrote about his first world championships and his first Para meet as a member of the Ouachita swim and dive team: 

“I am so excited to announce that I am officially part of the 2025 Paralympic swimming world championships team headed to Singapore later this year! This will be my third major international competition but my first world championships. I am also very excited for this to be my first Paralympic swimming competition swimming for @ouachitaswimanddive. The competition will be held from September 21-27. As always, this would not be possible without my coaches, teammates, parents, and God. ‘Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, For thy mercy, and for thy truth’s sake.’ Psalm 115:1”

Karen Price is a reporter from Pittsburgh who has covered Olympic and Paralympic sports for various publications. She is a freelance contributor to USParaSwimming.org on behalf of Red Line Editorial, Inc.