Hope College swimmer Aaron Thomas has been selected for the 2025 U.S. Paralympics Swimming and Diving Team.
The freshman from DeWitt, Michigan (DeWitt HS) is one of 18 men chosen for the team. There also are 31 women on the squad.
Thomas is missing his pinkie, ring and middle fingers, and his index finger only goes up to his first knuckle in his left hand. Brachydactyly, as it is known, is a genetic condition that happens because of a gene mutation that affects bone growth.
In December, Thomas competed at the 2024 U.S. Paralympics Swimming National Championships in Orlando, Florida, and recorded a silver-medal performance and eight personal-best times.
Thomas finished national runner-up in the 200-yard individual medley by clocking a time of 2 minutes, 32.10 seconds, the second-fastest among the SM10 classification.
It was the second career medal at the U.S. Paralympics Swimming National Championships for Thomas. The other medal was a bronze in the 200 breaststroke at the 2022 National Championships in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The 2025 U.S. Paralympics Swimming and Diving Team will compete in several domestic and international competitions this season, including the 2025 Para Swimming World Championships on Sunday-Saturday, Sept. 21-Sept. 27, in Singapore.
The Americans are building toward the 2028 Summer Olympics Games in Los Angeles, California, said Amanda Duke Boulet, director of U.S. Paralympics Swimming.
“We are excited about continuing to build on the success these athletes had in Paris as we start to focus on not just Singapore, but also L.A.,” Duke Boulet said. “The first year of a Paralympic quad sets the tone for the four-year cycle, and we are optimistic about this incredible group of athletes as they lead the way for us in 2025.”
Headlining the U.S. roster is 31-time Paralympic medalist Jessica Long (Baltimore, Maryland), who returns seeking her ninth world championships berth after winning two gold medals in Paris. Long is the second-most decorated U.S. Paralympian in history.
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