Alex and Aaron Shackell and Gretchen and Alex Walsh are heading to Paris with their family by their side
David Woods-USA TODAY NETWORK; Jack Spitser
Alex and Aaron Shackell; Gretchen and Alex Walsh
There’s nothing like a little sibling rivalry to get the competitive juices flowing — and for two Team USA families, the Paris Olympics are offering a chance to take their family talents to the world’s stage.
Brother and sister duo Alex and Aaron Shackell and sisters Gretchen and Alex Walsh will go for the gold in various swimming events at this year’s Olympics — which means each athlete will have a built-in support system by their side.
“To have a sibling come along is amazing,” Alex Shackell, 17, tells PEOPLE in this week’s issue, while her brother Aaron, 19, adds that “we’re there to support each other.”
For the Shackells, of Carmel, Indiana, swimming has always been a part of life; their dad Nick, 49, swam for Great Britain at the 1996 Olympics and mom Ali was an All-American swimmer at Auburn University.
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Aaron Shackell after winning the men’s 400-meter freestyle at the U.S. Olympic trials in June.
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“[Dad’s] advice was to be happy that I made the team, but not satisfied and keep wanting to improve,” says Alex, whose twin brother Andrew also swims competitively.
That competitive spirit matches 200-meter butterfly racer Alex’s “more intense, serious approach” to the sport, she says, while Aaron takes a “more relaxed” attitude in the 400-meter freestyle.
“Alex is always so focused during practice and outside of it. She’s always thinking about how she can get better mentally and physically,” he says. “For me, I have my moments and turn my competition switch on and off. I like to relax and allow myself to decompress outside of the pool or meet.”
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Alex Shackell competes in the women’s 200-meter freestyle during the U.S. Olympic trials in June 2024.
In May, Aaron announced plans to attend the University of Texas in the fall, while Alex committed to the University of California, Berkeley in September.
Meanwhile, Walsh sisters Gretchen, 21, and Alex, 22, are also poised to show off their skills in Paris.
For the Walshes, the games offer a shot at redemption for Gretchen, who just missed qualifying for the Tokyo Games in 2021, where her older sister won silver in the 200-meter individual medley.
“It was like a split house: happy for me, but gutted for Gretchen,” says Alex. “My parents struggled.”
But all’s well that ends well, as Gretchen ultimately won herself a ticket to Paris by breaking a world record in the 100-meter butterfly at the U.S. swimming trials in June.
The Nashville natives say the pool has always been “kind of a center” for their family, as mom Glynis swam at Boston College, and the sisters estimate they spent 12 hours a day at the pool each summer as kids.
Though their personalities differ – Gretchen is an extrovert who enjoys pop music and Game of Thrones, while Alex prefers Zach Bryan and Tyler Childers, and isn’t a fan of gore — the two are “best friends,” says Alex.
“We’re both dedicated and hardworking,” adds Gretchen. “We push each other to new heights.”
Both sisters currently attend the University of Virginia, where Gretchen is majoring in finance and minoring in math, and Alex is a computer science major with a minor in psychology.
“Having each other there to be able to talk to is great,” says Alex. “We make each other laugh a lot. So it’s nice to have someone that is going to brighten your day.”
To learn more about all the Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls, visit TeamUSA.com and come to people.com to check out ongoing coverage before, during and after the games. Watch the Paris Olympics and Paralympics, beginning July 26, on NBC and Peacock.
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