Carson High graduate Lauren Costella appears to have returned to the form that allowed her to win a bronze medal at the World University Games two years ago. And because of that, Costella will likely be returning to the World University Games this year.
Costella, a 2003 CHS graduate and a sophomore at Stanford, took third in the 1,500-meter freestyle in the World Championship trials in swimming on Thursday in Indianapolis. The trials, which ended Thursday, were used to choose the U.S. team for the World Championships to be held July 24-31 in Montreal.
The trials were also used to select the U.S. team for the World University Games to be held Aug. 11-21 in Izmir, Turkey.
Costella took third in 16 minutes, 44.22 seconds. Kate Ziegler won in 16:26.59 while Claire Hutchinson placed second in 16:42.85.
The 1,500 will not be contested at the World Championships, but will be contested at the World University Games. Ziegler had qualified for the World Championships in the 800 free and because of that, she's ineligible to be chosen for the World University Games.
It figures that Costella has an excellent chance to be named to the World University Games team, which USA Swimming was scheduled to select today.
Costella won bronze in the 1,500 free at the 2003 World University Games. But since then she had been struggling after experimenting with a new stroke.
But she showed signs of returning to form when she took 12th in the 800 free in the trials on Tuesday. Costella came into the event seeded 37th and was seeded 10th heading into the 1,500 free.
