Naperville Swimmer Qualifies for Rio Paralympics

NAPERVILLE, IL — A Naperville swimmer has qualified for the U.S. Paralympic swimming team for a second time.

Alyssa Gialamas was named to the team after a trials meet in North Carolina, according to a report from the Daily Herald.

She will swim the 50-meter backstroke and 50-meter freestyle, as well as the 200-meter freestyle and 100-meter freestyle, the report said.

“The 50 back definitely was the reason I made the team," she told the paper "I broke the American and Pan-American record. I dropped over a second."

Gialamas will travel to Baltimore where she will train under Loyola Maryland coach Brian Loeffler. From there, she’ll travel to Rio for the Sept. 7 paralympics.

Gialamas has been swimming since she was 15. She previously competed in the London Paralympics where she came in fifth place.

The Naperville woman was born with arthrogryposis, a disorder that affects the use of joints and muscles. While growing up, Gialamas had difficulty with her jaws, knees and feet, according to the Team USA website.

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Photo courtesy of Team USA