Springfield College Student-Athlete Mikaili Charlemagne To Swim In Olympics For Saint Lucia

Tue, 06/29/2021 - 12:00

Springfield College Health Science major Mikaili Charlemagne will represent her home country of Saint Lucia in the upcoming 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan and will swim in the 50 freestyle.

Charlemagne has earned dean's list for her academic excellence in each of her four semesters on the campus.

Entering her junior year at Springfield College, the 18-year old is no stranger to competing on the international stage. Previously, she raced in the 100 free at the 2017 FINA World Championships in Hungary and traveled to South Korea in 2019 for the World Aquatics Championship where she represented Saint Lucia in the 100 free and 50 fly. She is scheduled to swim in the 50 meter freestyle on July 30 in the Tokyo Aquatics Centre.

"Springfield College has really become a home for me, and I have enjoyed my academics, and our swim team has really become a family, and we all check in with each other and support each other," said Charlemagne.

Springfield College head swimming coach John Taffe added, "I have no doubt that Mikaili will do a tremendous job representing Saint Lucia and Springfield College in the Tokyo Olympic Games. It's a testament to her hard work that she will compete against the best in the world in the Olympics, and we look forward to having her back in the pool with us as she continues to develop. From her efforts in the classroom and within our campus community, she is the prime example of what a student-athlete is, and we are so proud of her."

After returning to Saint Lucia following her sophomore year at Springfield College in the middle of May, Charlemagne quarantined on the island before continuing her training in the pool. On Wednesday, it was announced that she was one of two swimmers and among the five total athletes from Saint Lucia that will compete in the international sporting event.

Charlemagne becomes the latest Springfield College swimmer to reach the Olympics. Roy Allan-Burch '08 swam for Bermuda in the 2008 and 2012 Olympics, Howard Hinds '00 raced for the Netherlands Antilles at the 1996 Olympics, and Bill Yorzyk '54 captured the gold medal for the United States in the 200 fly at the 1956 Olympic Games. Additionally, Justin Zook '08 swam in the 2004, 2008, and 2012 Paralympic Games and captured three gold medals in the 100 meter backstroke.

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