Kennedy has pair of top 5 finishes in Grand Prix series meet

Avon’s Madison Kennedy

CHARLOTTE, N.C., May 12 – Avon’s Madison Kennedy continues to chase her dream of making the U.S. Olympic swimming team in 2016 by participating in USA Swimming’s Arena Grand Prix series – a six-stop tour across the United States. 

Kennedy swam this past weekend at the Arena Grand Prix in Charlotte, known locally as the SwimMAC Charlotte UltraSwim. She grabbed a pair of top five finishes in the 50 meter and 100 meter freestyle. 

After finishing as the top qualifier in the 50 freestyle, Kennedy finished tied for second place in the 50 free with a time of 25.12, just behind U.S. Olympian Jessica Hardy, who her third event of the meet with a time of 25.09. Megan Romano also swam a 25.12 and tied Kennedy for second place. 

Kennedy beat three members of the 2012 U.S. Olympic team. Dana Vollmer was fourth in 25.80 while Amanda Weir (25.88) and Lia Neal (25.89) were sixth and seventh, respectively.

On Sunday in the 100 meter freestyle, Kennedy earned a spot in the final by finishing sixth with a time of 56.50. She finished fifth in the event with a time of 56.26. Romano, who lives in St. Petersburg, Fla., rallied in the final 50 meters to win the race in 55.24, beating Shannon Vreeland of Overland Park, Kan., in 55.39. 

Kennedy was swimming in her home pool. She trains with SwimMAC in Charlotte. 

This race was the fifth in the six-race series, which concludes in Santa Clara, CA on May 30 through June 2. The Grand Prix series gives American swimmers an opportunity to race against the best competition in the nation. 

The next big event after the conclusion of the Grand Prix on the swimming calendar will be the 2013 national championship meet on June 25-26 in Indianapolis, which will also serve as the trials for the U.S. team competing in the upcoming world championship meet in Barcelona (July 16 through Aug. 5)