{"id":586861,"date":"2024-06-10T03:44:56","date_gmt":"2024-06-10T10:44:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=586861"},"modified":"2024-06-10T03:44:56","modified_gmt":"2024-06-10T10:44:56","slug":"canadian-breaststroker-kesa-taivassalo-selects-south-carolina","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/canadian-breaststroker-kesa-taivassalo-selects-south-carolina\/","title":{"rendered":"Canadian Breaststroker Kesa Taivassalo Selects South Carolina"},"content":{"rendered":"

Canadian Breaststroker Kesa Taivassalo Selects South Carolina<\/strong><\/p>\n

NEW COMMIT:\u00a0<\/strong>The University of South Carolina has secured a new verbal commitment for the 2024-25 season and beyond from Canadian breaststroker Kesa Taivassalo\u00a0<\/strong>of Markham, Ontario.<\/p>\n

She will join\u00a0Maddie Reynolds<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>and Tori Abruzzo<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>in Columbia as a member of the Gamecocks\u2019 Class of 2029.<\/p>\n

Her older brother, Brayden<\/strong> Taivassalo<\/strong>, is a rising sophomore at Texas and won gold in the 200 breast at the 2024 Big 12 Cgampionships.<\/p>\n

Regarding her commitment, she said:<\/p>\n

\u201cI am super proud and excited to announce my verbal commitment to further both my athletic and academic career at the University of South Carolina! The moment I stepped on campus for my official, the team made me feel so welcome and the coaches were nothing but helpful. Coach Jeff\u2019s vision for the future of the program is something I want to be part of and can\u2019t wait to see what the future holds. This is only the beginning!!\u201d<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Taivassalo trains year-round with Markham Aquatic Club and won the 200m breast at the Winter Ontario Championships before going on to take seventh in that event at the Speedo Canadian Open.<\/p>\n

In 2023, she placed second in the 200m breast at the Speedo Canadian Championships. Her time of 2:35.17 was the second-fastest among girls aged 15-16 in Canada that year.<\/p>\n

In LCM, her best times include:<\/p>\n