Training in high altitude

WORLAND - Marcello Rossi is an 18-year-old Belgian on vacation with his family. They spent a week in the gorgeous Yellowstone National Park and now have been taking in the beauty of the Worland/Ten Sleep area as they stay at the Red Reflet.

Yes, Rossi and his family are tourists, like many others, but this vacation is different than most. You see Rossi, who graduated from high school this year, qualified for the Belgium National Swimming Championship in Brussels and the competition is at the end of this month.

Needing to keep training and wanting to take advantage of the higher altitude, Brussels sits near sea-level, Rossi called the Worland Aquatic Center asking to use their training pool and if there was a coach who could help out.

The WAC was more than willing to accommodate Rossi and also paired him with USA swimming coach Brian Titus.

"We're on holiday but I wanted to be sure I was ready to compete. So I looked for pools in the area and was lucky enough to find the Worland Aquatic Center," said Rossi. "The training pool is amazing and conducive for high-level competition."

Rossi's best events are the 200-meter freestyle, 1,500-meter freestyle and 100-meter butterfly.

Having just graduated from high school Rossi is taking the year off before heading to Yale University, where he's been accepted and will look to walk-on to the Yale swimming team.

"I'll take a gap year before heading to college," said Rossi, "Yale has a strong swimming team but my goal is to walk-on."

Like other Ivy League universities Yale does not offer full-ride athletic scholarships. Rossi noted that if he's successful in walking-on he then would shoot for a partial scholarship, but his biggest goal is to make the NCAA championships. "My ultimate goal is to qualify for the NCAA championships. The Olympics is a goal too but my main focus is the NCAAs," said Rossi.

Rossi is very close to breaking into the elite tier of swimming, he knows it and it is what motivates him to train during his vacation. "I'm right on the cusp. I just need to shave off two to three seconds and I'll put myself in a great position."

Swimming is Rossi's focus but he has enjoyed his time here in Wyoming. "We've been to California and Oregon but never in this region. Yellowstone was great. Spending time in nature, watching the animals and being disconnected from all the devices was enjoyable," said Rossi.

As his time comes to a close here in Wyoming and the Championship meet draws near, Rossi was thankful for the WAC and coach Titus for being so gracious and accommodating.

"I'm so grateful for coach Titus, Brian Sr. and Brian Jr., who have been out here to support me and have given me great advice in my training. I'm also thankful for the WAC. Being able to train at a great facility like this has really helped me progress."