Olympians joined by Coach Chris Plumb for Q&A, autograph signing event
By RICHIE HALL
CARMEL – There were already a sizable number of people in the Carmel High School Main Cafeteria Thursday evening, waiting to hear from two Olympic swimmers and their coach.
Carmel siblings Alex and Aaron Shackell were set to make their entrance to talk with Carmel Swim Club members after their experience at the 2024 Paris Olympics, along with Carmel Swim Club coach Chris Plumb, who was one of the assistant coaches for Team USA.
Right before they spoke, more Carmel Swim Club swimmers appeared. Many of them. Roughly 200 more young swimmers rolled into the cafeteria for the half-hour question-and-answer session starring the Shackells and Plumb.
Aaron and Alex Shackell signed autographs for fans after the question-and-answer session. (Richie Hall)
Afterwards, those same swimmers got a chance to take a group picture with the siblings and there was a fair amount of autograph signing as well. Alex and Aaron accommodated them all, happily making time for all of the young swimmers; after all, it wasn’t that long ago that Alex, 17, was a young swimmer herself.
“I remember when I was younger and I would see an Olympian in person, I’d be starstruck,” said Alex Shackell. “Being the Olympian now is really weird, but I want these kids to know they can do it too, and I was their age before going to be an Olympian. Anyone can do it.”
Alex Shackell became the first female swimmer from Carmel to win an Olympic medal as part of two Team USA relays. She swam in the semifinals of both relays, participating on the 4×200 freestyle and 4×100 medley teams.
The 4×200 free squad placed second in the finals, making all who participated eligible for a silver medal. Then on the last day of the swimming competition, the 4×100 medley team won the gold medal, with the entire relay roster again getting a medal.
Alex told the crowd if a swimmer has an opportunity for an Olympic medal, “you don’t deny that.” And of course, she brought both of those medals to the ceremony. Alex said that having the medal put around her neck “was the most surreal moment. Looking at it in my hand right now, both of them, it’s the best experience ever and I always wanted one so bad.”
Aaron Shackell qualified for the Olympics after winning the 400 freestyle race at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Indianapolis. Once he was at the Paris games, he started thinking of Team USA right away.
Carmel Swim Club coach Chris Plumb speaks to the large crowd at the start of the celebration. (Richie Hall)
‘I knew that me and Kieran (Smith) were going to have a tough time making finals and I really wanted to have an American in the final, whether it was me or Kieran,” said Aaron Shackell. “But I wanted to make it myself. Being in an Olympic final is something that almost no one gets to do and being able to go against all those guys in the final, some of the best 400 freestylers of all time, was super cool. I didn’t perform like I wanted to, but we’ll be back in four years and hopefully the next few years at world championships.”
Aaron placed eighth in the 400 free, which was swam early in the games. But he continued to support his fellow Americans throughout the remainder of the swimming events.
“Aaron showed up for eight straight days to cheer on the team,” Plumb told the crowd during the Q&A session.
“It was just really nice to be there and competing for Team USA and trying to make finals and cheering everyone on,” said Aaron Shackell. He also gave a shout out to the Carmel Swim Club swimmers that supported him along the way.
Alex Shackell also mentioned the support she got during the games.
“All my friends did, and some parents definitely did reach out,” said Alex. “It’s always great to get the extra support, especially the night before you race.”
Meanwhile, Plumb told the crowd that he had always dreamed of going to the Olympics since he was little. He began coaching at Carmel Swim Club and Carmel High School in 2006, taking over what had already been a powerhouse program. Since then, Carmel has continued to reach new heights.
“We had this vision to have it happen,” said Plumb “It just takes a long time. This only happens every four years. To have it come to fruition, I remember what I said when I said today, ‘these dreams do come true,’ and this was a dream of mine, to have it happen here. And to realize that and to visualize that and to put it out there into the world, and it’s manifested today. It’s a proud moment to be able to stand here and have it with the club, especially with all the challenges you go through being a coach and raising your children here and all the stuff that comes along with it. It just feels good to say that we took kids to the Olympics and they have medals.”