Maroon 5's "Maps" is blaring from nearby speakers as Jordan Wilimovsky sits at a poolside table at the Santa Monica Swim Center, a water aerobics class in session behind him.
But the Team Santa Monica athlete is focused only on what's in front of him: a chance to compete at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
His future could hinge on how he performs at the FINA World Aquatics Championships, which begin July 24 in Kazan, Russia — not that he isn't already experienced in global competition.
"It's always awesome to represent the United States," said Wilimovsky, a 2012 graduate of Malibu High. "It's a huge honor. It's tons of fun to be over there with the team. Just competing at the international level is pretty fun."
Wilimovsky qualified for the upcoming world championships by winning a national title in the 10-kilometer event in April, when he clocked in at 1 hour 54 minutes 27.93 seconds at the USA Swimming Open Water National Championships in Miromar Lakes, Florida.
A top-10 finish in the same event at the world championships would earn Wilimovsky an automatic bid to the Olympics in Brazil. He could also snag a spot at another qualifier next year or at the next Olympic Trials.
It's an exciting prospect for the 21-year-old with the long blond hair and the relaxed persona.
"Hopefully I can do it," he said. "It would be so cool to represent the United States in the Olympic Games."
Wilimovsky is taking a year off from school at Northwestern University to focus on his swimming dreams, which demand hundreds of hours of training. He regularly swims upwards of 80,000 meters — about 50 miles — in a week.
"It's normal training, but you have the ability to recover a little better in the daytime," he said. "You can go home, take a nap and not worry about school. And there's more individual attention on what you need to do as opposed to doing what the team is doing."
For a swimmer dubbed a "late bloomer" by his trainer, Team Santa Monica coach Dave Kelsheimer, his mere presence at the world championships will be the latest in a string of outstanding achievements for Wilimovsky.
Standing at 5 feet 9 inches and weighing less than 150 pounds, Wilimovsky doesn't necessarily look like an Olympian in the making.
"Unlike most swimmers, he's not very big," TSM board president Don Steele said. "He really is an extraordinary athlete."
His resume details what he's too humble to say himself. He won the 1,500-meter freestyle race at the Junior Nationals in 2012, swam in the Olympic Trials that year and has posted numerous top-20 finishes at the national and international levels.
The All-America honoree recently won a Big Ten conference title in the 1,650 free while shattering the Northwestern record.
Kelsheimer will accompany Wilimovsky to Russia — he'll serve as an assistant coach on USA Swimming's staff, which will be helmed by Catherine Vogt.
Kelsheimer, who was also the men's open-water coach at last year's Pan Pacific Swimming Championships, is proud of what Wilimovsky has accomplished so far.
"He works extremely hard," he said. "Now he's gotta ramp up and take on the world — literally."
Photo: Team Santa Monica swimmer Jordan Wilimovsky is in contention for a spot in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. (credit Mike Lewis)
Contact Jeff Goodman at 310-573-8351, jeff@www.smdp.com or on Twitter.
