LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Former University of Louisville swimmer Kelsi Worrell Dahlia was as surprised as anybody at how fast things have changed since the novel coronavirus began spreading across the globe.
"If you had told me a month ago that the Olympics were going to be postponed, I'd have said you were insane," said Dahlia, who swam for the Cards from 2012-2016.
Dahlia, who helped the United States win a gold medal at the 2016 Summer Games, soon realized that the International Olympic Committee made the correct call and was relieved when it was made. Now, the Louisville grad is retooling for a run at Tokyo in 2021.
Dahlia is currently at her parents home in New Jersey taking things day by day with her siblings — reading and learning a little French. She's also training with her physical therapist, Darryl Williams, a clinical director at Pro Rehab Physical Therapy in the Highlands, using a service called Telehealth.
"It's definitely a different experience working with Telehealth," Dahlia said. "But Darryl and I have been working together for a few years and have a good rapport. I trust him and, now that I don't have access to a pool, I told him I need some cardio and some extra exercises to ramp up the volume and help me get to the next level without the pool. So it's been good, working out well."
"It's pretty cool to use technology to be able to implement different PT interventions via Telehealth and help our patients out in any way we can," added Williams, who has Dahlia using household items to help with the exercises. Friday, it was bottles of spaghetti sauce. Whatever they can find to keep the swimmer moving toward another shot at a gold medal.
Dahlia is enjoying time with her family but is going a little crazy after not being in a pool in three weeks. Regardless, she's glad to have another opportunity to represent her country as an Olympian.
"I'm just glad that it wasn't cancelled," she said.
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