Thomas Mercer and Haley McDonald looking to make their mark at U.S. Swim Nationals

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- There are several members of the Lakeside Swim Club at this week's U.S. National Championships in Indianapolis. It includes a pair of rising high school juniors, looking to make their mark against the best swimmers in the country.

They have both won multiple state championships with two years of high school still to go and are both ranked among the top 15 swimmers nationally for the high school class of 2025. Both have recently qualified for next summer's Olympic trials.

Now Haley McDonald, a junior-to-be at Sacred Heart Academy and Thomas Mercer, a junior-to-be at St. Xavier High School will see how they stack up against the best swimmers of any age in the country.

"Definitely nerve-racking, but also exciting," said Mercer. "It's a high pressure meet, but I'm excited to be there."

"I'm super excited," said McDonald. " I just want to go out there and race and there's so much fierce competition in this meet. So it's just fun to race and have fun basically."

"Tons of potential," said Lakeside assistant coach and former U of L standout Mallory Comerford. "I'm so excited to watch them race. I think the sky's the limit for them and they're just getting started on their journey in the swimming world. So I'm really excited to see what they can do and excited to watch them grow over the next however many years."

McDonald was out of the pool for six months last year with a shoulder tear.

"It makes you enjoy swimming more being out of the water for so long," said McDonald. "It helps you really know that you love it and it's definitely been hard getting back but it makes you stronger in the end."

She'll swim the 200 and 400 Individual Medley plus the 200 backstroke this week. Mercer will also swim the 200 and 400 IM and both of them will lean on current teammates and former Lakeside standouts.

"The college swimmers and everyone who set the example for us definitely push us to uphold the reputation of Lakeside," said McDonald.

"It's definitely nice to know that people before me have been in my shoes and I have someone to lean on," said Mercer. "But I'm definitely hoping to forge my own path."

Mercer and McDonald both have a chance to represent Team USA at the Junior Worlds in Europe, among other events, depending on how things go this week.