INDIANAPOLIS – FIKE Swim, an innovator in competition swim products, is thrilled to announce the addition of rising distance star and US National Champion Ashley Neidigh to its growing team of …
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INDIANAPOLIS – FIKE Swim, an innovator in competition swim products, is thrilled to announce the addition of rising distance star and US National Champion Ashley Neidigh to its growing team of brand ambassadors, according to FIKE Swim Products press release on July 17.
A former Bolles School and Auburn University standout, Neidigh, of Orange Park, is now a member of Indiana University’s pro group and trains under Mike Westphal and assistant coach Caitlin Hamilton. Since Olympic Trials in 2016, she has been on a tear, dropping time in amounts that would make an age grouper jealous.
“Ashley is capable of shocking the world this summer, and I’m just excited to be with her cheering her on. We are so lucky to have Ashley on our team. She’s more than an incredible swimmer, she’s also one of the nicest people in the sport. She fits perfectly with what we’re building at Fike Swim.” said Fike Swim founder, James Fike, who invented the weighted kickboard, called The Brick, after a stellar career as a swimmer at the University of Texas.
In 2018, Neidigh has competed in the 2018 TYR Pro Swim Series campaign with her second 1500 freestyle title in June in Santa Clara. After winning this event in Mesa in April with a 16:38.24 and posting a 16:21.62 for fifth at May’s Indianapolis stop, Neidigh went on to post the 13th-fastest time in the world this year with her 16:17.43 a month ago.
At the 2017 U.S. Open, Neidigh earned a podium finish in the 800 free. She knocked over five seconds off her lifetime best, taking second place with an 8:34.71.
“The mile has always been my favorite event,” said Neidigh, who noted she is training at near 80K meters (about 50 miles) per week. “I love the way it tests you mentally and physically over a long period. I truly get excited for it.”
Neidigh won her first career U.S. National Championship at the 2017 Winter Nationals in Columbus, Ohio. There, swimming in a field that included U.S. National Teamer Mallory Comerford, Neidigh slashed five seconds from her best time in the 500 to win in 4:34.47. She followed up her national title with another win in the mile with a time of 15:38.35, making her the 9th fastest woman of all time in the event.
Five time Olympian Katie Ledecky has the world record in the 1,500 at 15:20.48 set in Indianapolis in May 2018. Ledecky holds world records also in the 800 free (8:04.79) and 400 free (3:56.46).
While preparing for the 2018 U.S. Nationals, 2018 Pan Pacific Championships and ultimately Tokyo 2020, she will also be working towards a Master of Mental Health Counseling degree at IU and has already begun helping Fike Swim test and roll out more of the innovative products it is becoming known for.
“I am so excited to be joining Fike Swim. I love that Fike shows a genuine love for the sport of swimming and is looking to help swimmers everywhere. I am very lucky to be a part of this team!” added Neidigh.
Ashley joins Sarah Gibson (Texas A & M butterfly specialist with five SEC titles, a gold medal in 4 x 100 medley relay at 2107 World Swim Championships and a 15-time All-American for Aggies), Zane Grothe (Auburn grad, two-time SEC (1,650 free and 800 free relay plus part of 4 x 200 relay at 2017 World Championships bronze medal) with 12 All-American nods plus school record holder in 500, 1,00, 1,650 freestyle), Hellen Moffitt (University of North Carolina backstroke and butterfly specialist that qualified for 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials with numerous school records), Lizzi Smith (a RIO Paralympics silver and bronze medalist with two bronze medals from the 2013 World Championships), and Zac Stubblety-Cook (who joined FIKE in 2016 as a 17 year old Australian National Age Group record holder in the breaststroke and a recent qualifier for the Australian team for the 2018 Pan Pacific Championships) on Fike Swim’s ambassador team.
Grothe, also at the Santa Clara TYR Pro Swim Series, Grothe, now living in Mission Viejo, held off a hard charging Ricardo Vargas and True Sweetser for the win, clocking a time of 15:18.43. Grothe has been as fast as 15:05.31 this season, done at the Indy stop in May (where he also won). Vargas and Sweetser both made a big push at the end, ultimately taking 2nd and 3rd in times of 15:19.34 and 15:19.86 respectively.