This year’s USA Olympic team trials offers spectators a look at the present-day elite contained within American shores. But it also has provided onlookers with a glimpse into the future of the sport in this country, with a host of youngsters taking center stage, none as loudly as teenager Audrey Derivaux.
The youngster is unlikely to make the final Olympic roster — she was seeded in the third of six heats in the 400 individual medley. As a reminder, only the top two finishers in that event qualify for the Olympic Games.
Nevertheless, her name has rung around the Lucas Oil Stadium walls in recent days, with many believing she is on the brink of swimming excellence. If not now, then in four years’ time at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Here’s what you need to know about Derivaux, one of USA Swimming’s most exciting prospects.
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Who is Audrey Derivaux?
Derivaux is a 14-year swimmer from Haddonfield, New Jersey who is competing in the 2024 USA Olympic team trials.
Derivaux qualified to take part in six different events during the trials — the 100-meter backstroke, 200-meter backstroke, 100-meter Fly, 200-meter Fly, 200-meter individual medley and 400-meter individual medley. Thus far, her most impressive run has come in the 400 M IM, where she earned a spot in the event finals after cutting down four seconds on her seed time to win her heat (4:45.23).
THE SPEED FROM 14-YEAR-OLD AUDREY DERIVAUX! 😱
She dominates her heat in the 400m IM. #SwimTrials24
📺 @peacock pic.twitter.com/x3irokVVDr
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) June 17, 2024
A soon-to-be sophomore at Haddonfield Memorial High School, Derivaux is one of eight 14-year-olds to compete in this year’s Olympic team trials. She’s had the strongest showing of any of her counterparts, nabbing the eighth and final spot in Monday’s 400 M IM finals despite having to swim in the outside lane.
Although Derivaux has shown a proclivity for the gauntlet that is the 400 M IM, she’s historically proven most adept at the 200 M butterfly, where she holds a 2:10.81 seeding, 18th-best in the field. She also improved her numbers in the 100 M fly, clocking in at a 59.25 time to place 24th among participants and second among those in her age rank.
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Audrey Derivaux age
Derivaux is 14 years old, having been born in August 2009.
Prior to her USA Olympic team trial success, Derivaux swam for Jersey Wahoos, a local swim club located near her home. She’s been on a tear as of late, firing off 10 personal record times over the course of four days during May’s Martha McKee Open.
Audrey Derivaux sister
Derivaux isn’t the only competitive swimmer in the family. Older sister Lilly, a student at Yale, is also participating in the USA Olympic trials, competing strictly in the 200 M Fly.
Nevertheless, the sisters are rooting for each other to succeed in this year’s Olympic trials.
“I’ve always just loved watching Audrey race and when she really started taking off, it just made me so excited,” Lilly Derivaux said, per CBS. “Even though I’m only swimming one of the days, I’m 100 percent going to be there on the pool deck, behind her lane, cheering her on as much as I can.”
